Volume 137

MAY 2017

US CHAMPIONSHIP, SAINT LOUIS: FULL REPORT AND ANALYSIS THE DOMINATION OF CONTINUES

INSIDE: How to… ▪ Fight with psychological barriers ▪ Defend against the London system ▪ Play positional chess like the ▪ Win with the slow Italian

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258 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017

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Chairman Shaun Taulbut Director Stephen Lowe

Editors Milan Dinic and Shaun Taulbut The triumph of Prepress Specialist Wesley So and Milica Mitic 268 Sabina Foisor Photography 261 European Individual Lennart Ootes (Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis), European Individual Women’s Chess Championship Dzagnidze triumphs in Latvia Women’s Chess Championship oicial Bangkok Chess Club / Facebook By GM Aleksandar Colovic 268 US Championship 2017 Advertising Stephen Lowe The triumph of Wesley So and Sabina Foisor Enquiries By GM Aleksandar Colovic [email protected] 285 The 17th Bangkok Chess Club Open ISSN 0007-0440 Short takes the BCC open © The British Chess Magazine Limited for the third time By IM Shaun Taulbut Company Limited by Shares 287 Chess in Britain Registered in England No 00334968 The Polar Capital Jersey Festival Postal correspondence: By IM Shaun Taulbut Albany House, 14 Shute End 293 Obituary Wokingham, Berkshire RG40 1BJ “I would love to be remembered Subscription because of all the people I [email protected] encouraged to play chess” 12 monthly issues By Pete Tamburro UK: £55 | RoW: £85 302 Quotes and Queries Printed in the UK: by Lavenham Press Ltd A man known for the brilliancy of a lost game Cover photography: By Alan Smith Lennart Ootes, Chess Club and Scholastic 306 How to fight with psychological Center of Saint Louis barriers By Theo Slade

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European Individual Women’s Chess Championship, Riga (10 - 23 April) The winners: Nana Dzagnidze, Alisa Galiamova and

Dzagnidze triumphs in Latvia By GM Aleksandar Colovic, Photos: European Individual Women’s Chess Championship official The European Individual Women Chess Open tournaments with a lot of participants Championship in Riga had 144 participants are very difficult to play. In the beginning, it and among them were 12 GMs and 31 is impossible to gauge who is in good form WGMs, 31 IMs and 22 WIMs, resulting in and who is not. A lot depends on pairings - a total of 96 players with titles of Women somebody will get a rating favourite who is International Master or higher. The event not playing well and somebody will get an was won by 4th seed Nana Dzagnidze, with under−rated youngster on fire. 8.5/11, her first European title. Two of the rating favourites who In such a high quality event with so many disappointed were the first seed Anna strong players some of the favourites Muzychuk and fifth seed Antoaneta inevitably stumbled, even though one Stefanova, both finishing with 6.5/11 and look at the final standings shows most sharing 26th place. of the favourites at the top. Russian The winner Nana Dzagnidze demonstrated super−talent Aleksandra Goryachkina controlled and stable play. With White she won silver and the bronze medal went relied on Reti setups and with Black on the to the experienced Alisa Galiamova, Semi−Slav. The following game is a good who won her last two games to finish example of a fine understanding of the on the podium. Both Goryachkina and reversed Benoni positions that can arise Galiamova finished with 8/11. from the Reti.

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Altogether 12 GMS and even though the queen exchange probably 31 WGMs, 31 IMs and favours Black here. ½–½ (132) Topalov,V (2761)-Nakamura,H (2787) Leuven 2016. 22 WIMS - 96 players with titles of Women 10...¦e8 11.d3 a5 12.¥xe7 ¦xe7 13.¤e5! International Master XIIIIIIIIY or higher took part 9r+lwq-+k+0 Nana Dzagnidze – Ekaterina Atalik 9+p+-trpzpp0 18th ch-EUR Indiv w 2017 Riga LAT (6.3) 9-+n+psn-+0 9zp-+-sN-+-0 1.¤f3 d5 2.c4 e6 3.b3 d4 One of the most 9-+Pzp-+-+0 ambitious set-ups against the Reti. Black enters a reversed Benoni position, but 9+P+P+-zP-0 with a pawn on e6, meaning that she will 9P+-+-zPLzP0 have to spend a tempo to play ...e5 later 9tRN+QtR-mK-0 on in the game. It is, of course, possible to play like this as Black, but if things xiiiiiiiiy go wrong White will have an excellent A typical simplifying manoeuvre in the Benoni type position with easy play on Benoni. It is worth noting that the more the queenside. pieces are exchanged the easier White's play is because she has a clear plan of 4.e3 c5 5.exd4 cxd4 6.g3 ¤c6 7.¥g2 ¤f6 advancing on the queenside while Black's 8.0–0 ¥e7 9.¦e1 0–0 central play needs more pieces in order to XIIIIIIIIY be successful. 9r+lwq-trk+0 13...¤xe5 14.¦xe5 £c7 15.¦b5 A very comfortable square for the in the 9zpp+-vlpzpp0 Benoni structures after the a-pawn has 9-+n+psn-+0 moved forward two squares. 9+-+-+-+-0 15...¦a7 Threatening ...¥d7, but that is 9-+Pzp-+-+0 easily parried. 9+P+-+NzP-0 16.b4 Opening the b-file and defending 9P+-zP-zPLzP0 against ...¥d7. 9tRNvLQtR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 16.a3 was also an option worthy of 10.¥a3 10.d3 is the usual move here, but consideration. Dzagnidze prefers to exchange the "bad" bishop on c1 as soon as possible. In the 16...axb4 17.¤d2 e5 18.¦xb4 h6 19.a4 Benoni the bishop is the most problematic White's plan is simple - double on the b-file, piece (in the usual Benoni it is the bishop advance the black a-pawn and attack b7 on c8 for Black). 10...¤e8!? was recently with all the pieces. Black usually advances tried by Nakamura. The idea is to play ...f6 in the centre, but here that is impossible, and ...e5 (10...¤d7 is a usual move in these so she needs to find a plan how to defend structures). A recent game saw 11.a3 (11.¥a3 against White's attack along the b-file. is also possible, as is 11.¤e5!?) 11...a5 12.¤bd2 f6 13.¦b1 e5 14.¤h4 ¤c7 15.£h5 19...¤d7 This makes it slightly difficult for £e8 16.£xe8 ¦xe8 17.f4 with unclear play, Black on the next move, hence I would call it

262 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 a "practical imprecision." Black unnecessarily This is a dream position for White. She can puts herself in a situation when she must be safely increase the pressure on the queenside precise and find a more difficult solution than until Black cracks. Sitting still is one of the the one she had to find on this move. most difficult things to do in chess, and very few people mange doing it successfully, so 19...b6! 20.¦ab1 ¥g4! 21.£c2 ¤d7 would Black understandably starts pushing pawns have been a nice regrouping - the ¤d7 on the kingside. But this only creates a safely protects b6 and the bishop is active, second weakness later on. it can go to f5 to attack d3. 22...g6 22...¦e6 with the idea of ...b6 20.¦ab1 ¤c5? Black does not understand 23.£h5! b6 24.¥f5 Black will lose the that she needs that knight for defence. After b6–pawn, but her hope is to take on a4 and White's next move we reach a position with create some counterplay. A few illustrative no superfluous pieces for White, who can lines: 24...g6 25.£g4 ¦c6 26.¥xc8 £xc8 use all 4(!) of them to attack b7. 27.£xc8+ ¦xc8 28.¢g2 there is no rush to take on b6. 28...¦c6. And now: 20...b6 Now this is not as good as on the previous move because after 21.¥d5 ¥b7 A) 29.¢f3 is natural, but Black somehow White has 22.£f3!; 20...¦e6! 21.¥d5 ¦ea6 manages to create counterplay. 29...f5 is a manoeuvre suggested by the engine and 30.¦b5 (30.¦xb6 ¦xb6 31.¦xb6 ¦xa4 it is a very instructive one - Black uses her 32.¦xg6+ ¢f7 33.¦xh6 ¦a3 34.¢e2 ¦a2+ own rooks to attack White's a-pawn, thus 35.¢f1 ¦a3 with counterplay) 30...¦xa4 limiting White's activity. In my opinion this 31.¦xe5 ¦a3 32.¢e2 ¦a2+ 33.¢f1 ¦a3; is more difficult to find than the simple plan after 19...b6, which means that Black B) 29.f4! exf4 30.¦xb6! this is very difficult made things more difficult for herself by to find 30...¦xb6 31.¦xb6 fxg3 32.hxg3 not taking the first opportunity to solve her ¦xa4 33.¢f3 and the d4–pawn will drop problems. After 22.£f3 ¤f6 23.¥xb7 ¥g4 when White's two connected passed pawns 24.£g2 ¦xa4 25.¦xa4 ¦xa4 Black is fine. give her excellent winning chances.

21.¤e4! ¤xe4 21...¤e6 keeping the 23.£f3 f5?! It was better to do nothing, but knights does not help Black because the that is easier said than done. ¤e6 is very awkwardly placed. 22.c5! ¦a5 (22...¤xc5? 23.¤xc5 £xc5 24.¦c4 loses a 23...¢g7 24.¥d5 £d8 25.¦b6 ¦c7 with piece) 23.¦b5 and White dominates. the idea of ...£e7 was better.

22.¥xe4 24.¥d5+ ¢g7 25.h4 Threatening h5.

XIIIIIIIIY 25...h5 26.£d1 Defending a4 in order to 9-+l+-+k+0 liberate the ¦b4. 9trpwq-trpzp-0 26...£d7 27.¦b5 f4 A desperate attempt, 9-+-+-+-zp0 but waiting was no longer possible. 9+-+-zp-+-0 If instead 27...¢h7 here is what happens 9PtRPzpL+-+0 if Black does nothing: 28.a5 ¢g7 29.£d2 9+-+P+-zP-0 ¢h7 30.£b4 ¢g7 31.£c5 winning the 9-+-+-zP-zP0 pawn on b7. 9+R+Q+-mK-0 28.a5 £h3 29.¥g2 £g4 30.¥f3 £h3 xiiiiiiiiy 31.£e1 Defending a5 and attacking e5.

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31...e4 31...£f5 32.£b4 ¦f7 33.¥e4 £h3 43.£f5+ ¢h8 44.£f8+ ¢h7 45.£g8+ 34.£d6! and White's attack is faster. If instead ¢h6 46.¦g6#. 31...fxg3 32.fxg3 £f5 33.¥e4 £h3 34.¦b6. 41.¢xf2 ¦a6 42.¦b6 ¦xb6 43.axb6 32.¥g2 £d7 33.¥xe4 £c7 33...£h3 ¦e6 44.c5 The rest is easy because White 34.£f1. can combine the threats of taking on d4, advancing the e-pawn and penetrating with 34.f3 Cementing the ¥e4. the king. 1–0 34.£d2 fxg3 35.¦g5 gxf2+ 36.£xf2 is the engine's more direct preference. A resurrection of 34...fxg3 35.¢g2 ¥d7 36.¦g5 Now we old lines see the consequences of Black's 23...f5. I was surprised to see an old line in the 36...¥f5 36...¥e8 37.¦b6 ¦a6 38.¦xb7 King’s Indian resurrected. If it withstands £xb7 39.¥xb7 ¦xe1 40.¥xa6 is the the tests of the modern engines it can easiest win. provide Black with a sound alternative to the more popular lines with 9…¤h5. 37.¦b5 ¥xe4 38.fxe4 After this White will take on g3 and will be a pawn up with a Alina Kashlinskaya – completely dominating position. 18th ch-EUR Indiv w 2017 Riga LAT (8.5) 38...£f4 39.£xg3 £d2+ 40.£f2 £xf2+ 40...£xd3 41.¦xg6+! mates for White 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 g6 3.¤c3 ¥g7 4.e4 d6 as follows: 41...¢xg6 42.¦g5+ ¢h7 5.¥e2 0–0 6.¤f3 e5 7.0–0 ¤c6 8.d5 ¤e7 The Magician from Riga

Many great grandmasters have come from Latvia such as Hermanis Matisons, Mikhail Tal, Alexei Shirov… The little known Hermanis Matisons was the very first Latvian chess master and the first winner of World Amateur Chess Championship; he significantly influenced chess popularity and traditions in Latvia in the early 20th century.

Riga, Latvia’s capital, is a city with a long chess tradition. It is the birth place of one of the world’s greatest ever players, Mikhail Tal, and the place where Tal scored his first victories on the path to becoming the Soviet and World Champion. Today, in one of the central parks in the city, a statue stands in memory of the great “Magician from Riga”, famous for his brilliant and highly complex attacking play and his chess writings. Tal was also a gifted pianist.

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9.b4 a5 9...¤h5 is much more popular by playing ...c5 herself. When White takes nowadays. White can take the pawn on d6 with the bishop so Black removes the rook 10.¥a3 axb4 from f8 well in advance.

XIIIIIIIIY 13.a5 9r+lwq-trk+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+pzp-snpvlp0 9r+lwqr+k+0 9-+-zp-snp+0 9+-zp-snpvlp0 9+-+Pzp-+-0 9-zp-zp-snp+0 9-zpP+P+-+0 9zP-+Pzp-+-0 9vL-sN-+N+-0 9-vLP+P+-+0 9P+-+LzPPzP0 9+-sN-+N+-0 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 9-+-+LzPPzP0 xiiiiiiiiy 10...b6 is an alternative, but recently this 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 was put under a cloud of doubt thanks xiiiiiiiiy to a fantastic idea by Pelletier. 11.bxa5 13.£d3 ¤f5!? is another tactical ¤h5 12.¤d2 ¤f4 13.axb6!! (13.¤b3 justification of the the rook move.; 13.¦e1 was the usual move) 13...¦xa3 14.¤b5 ¥f8! shows yet another idea seen decades ¦a5 15.bxc7 £d7 16.a4 ¥a6 17.¤b3 ago - the bishop uses the liberated f8 square ¥xb5 18.cxb5 £xc7 19.¤xa5 £xa5 in order to protect the d6–pawn so that 20.g3 ¤xe2+ 21.£xe2 ¥h6 22.¦fb1 and Black can play ...c5 14.¥f1 c5 15.¥a3 ¥g7 White went on to win: 1–0 (38) Pelletier,Y 16.¥b2 ¦f8 and now all Black's pieces are (2557)-Nakamura,H (2816) Skopje 2015. back to their usual KID positions! 17.¤b5 ¤e8 18.¤d2 f5 with unclear play: ½–½ 11.¥xb4 b6 12.a4 ¦e8 Here it is – the (42) Fressinet,L (2700)-Grischuk,A (2764) mysterious rook move. You do not get to Beijing 2012. see this move in the Mar del Plata, where the rook is glued to the f-file to support ...f5 13...c5! 14.dxc6 ¤xc6 15.¥xd6 ¦xa5 and perhaps go ... ¦f7–g7 or h7. I remember 15...¤d4 is what I played in 1999, but the the first time I saw the move in 1998 - I was game continuation is safer. 16.¤xd4 exd4 shocked and could not believe it (a year 17.¤b5 ¤xe4 18.¥c7 £h4 is rather messy. later I played it in one of my games). But the idea behind it is sound - Black wants 16.¦xa5 ¤xa5 17.¥xe5 £xd1 18.¦xd1 to defend against White's queenside attack ¥b7? All theory so far, and the theory continues, so it is very surprising that Two of the rating Lagno went for this move that leaves Black favourites who without compensation. disappointed were 18...¤xe4! 19.¤xe4 ¥xe5 20.¤xe5 ¦xe5 the first seed Anna 21.¦d8+ ¢g7 22.¦xc8 ¦xe4 has already Muzychuk and fifth been played before. seed Antoaneta 19.¥c7 Threatening to take on b6 or force Stefanova, both an exchange of the rooks by ¦d8. finishing with 6.5/11 and sharing 26th place 19...¤xe4 20.¤xe4 ¦xe4 21.¢f1 Black is

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 265 05/137 in trouble because she will lose the pawn A rarely seen on b6 and taking on c4 does not work for type of mate other reasons. From the many interesting moments in 21...¤xc4 21...¥c3 22.¦c1 ¥b2 23.¦c2 Riga here is a question to finish with – is ¥f6 24.¥xb6; 21...¥f6 22.¥d3 ¦e7 it possible to mate with two knights? The 23.¥xb6. following game provides the answer… 22.¦d8+ ¥f8 Stavroula Tsolakidou - Ilze Berzina XIIIIIIIIY 18th ch-EUR Indiv w 2017 Riga LAT (3.19) 9-+-tR-vlk+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+lvL-+p+p0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-zp-+-+p+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-+R+-+0 9-+n+r+-+0 9+-+-+-mk-0 9+-+-+N+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+LzPPzP0 9+-zP-zp-sn-0 9+-+-+K+-0 9PzPn+-+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 23.¥d3! Now Black loses the exchange. 9+-+-+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 23...f6 24.¥xe4 ¥xe4 And even though 41...¢f4 42.¦xe3? Panic, but from a White's technique allowed Black chances practical perspective all is not lost. eventually White won. To Lagno's credit, she scored 2.5 out of the remaining 3 games 42.a4! Much better now than on the next to finish in shared 4th place. move, as played in the game. 42...¤e4 1–0 43.¢f1 ¢f3 44.¦xe4! ¢xe4 45.¢e2

Tournament hall

266 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 and the Nc2 loses a lot of time in order to help the passer on e3. 45...¤a1 46.a5 ¤b3 47.a6 ¤c1+ 48.¢e1 ¢f3 49.a7 ¤d3+ 50.¢d1 e2+ 51.¢c2 e1£ 52.a8£+ with a .

42...¤xe3 43.a4?? This is the final mistake. It is a move made on general principles, the knights find it most problematic to fight against an a- or h-pawn, but general principles are worth nothing without precise calculation to support them.

43.b4! was the only move, which is difficult to understand at this point. The idea is that if Black continues as in the game and creates the same mating construction the b-pawn can queen with check. 43...¤e4 44.b5 ¢g3 45.b6 ¤d2? (45...¤c5 is better and according to the engines Black wins, but in practice this is a very difficult task) 46.b7 ¤f3+ 47.¢h1 ¤g4 48.b8£+ and now White wins. 18-year-old Goryachkina started the event ranked number 14, but with 4.5/5 she raced to the top of the tournament and eventually 43...¤e4 Now White gets mated. ended in second place

44.¢h2 ¤g5 45.a5 ¢f3 46.¢g1 If 46.a6 Women's European Individual ¢f2 47.a7 ¤g4+ 48.¢h1 ¤e4 49.a8£ Chess Championship 2017 ¤g3#. (Riga, 11.04.2017-22.04.2017) 1 Nana Dzagnidz 2528 8½ 46...¢g3 47.a6 ¤f3+ 48.¢h1 ¤g4 0–1 2 Aleksandra Goryachkina 2452 8 3 Alisa Galliamova 2444 8 The top three players at the tournament 4 Kateryna Lagno 2543 7½ were followed by 12 players who all had 5 2546 7½ the same number of pints – 7.5. They are (in order): Kateryna Lagno (), Mariya 6 Monika Socko 2462 7½ Muzychuk (), Monika Socko 7 2437 7½ (Poland), Elina Danielian (), Elisabeth Paehtz (Germany), Marina 8 Elisabeth Pähtz 2454 7½ Nechaeva (Russia), Bela Khotenashvili 9 Marina Nechaeva 2395 7½ (Georgia), Natalia Zhukova (Ukraine), Natalija Pogonina (Russia), Hoang 10 Bela Khotenashvili 2445 7½ Thanh Trang (Hungary) and Anita Gara 11 Natalia Zhukova 2438 7½ (Hungary). Since only the top 14 finishers 12 2478 7½ in the competition qualify for the Chess Natalia Pogonina World Cup, 15th place finisher Inna 13 Hoang Thanh Trang 2459 7½ Gaponenko (Ukraine) failed to qualify 14 Anita Gara 2354 7½ for the tournament, even though she too finished with 7.5 points. 15 Inna Gaponenko 2416 7½

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2017 U.S. Chess Championship winner and U.S. women's champion. Photo by Lennart Ootes, Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis The triumph of Wesley So and Sabina Foisor By GM Aleksandar Colovic The US Championship is the second as he has dedicated himself to coaching), strongest national championship in Akobian and Zherebukh (who recently the world, only behind the Russian switched federation from Ukraine). These Championship (but not that far behind). last three had a lot to say in Saint Louis! For the new champion, Wesley So, winning Starting with his win in the Sinquefield Cup the US Championship was one of the in August last year, So has won gold medal on greatest achievements in his career (so far) board 3 in at the Olympiad, the London and another addition to the long run of Classic, the Tata Steel in Wijk aan Zee and astonishing results in the recent period. now his first US Championship. His last loss The triumverate of Caruana, Nakamura and in a game with classical time−control was on So (in board order that won the Olympiad 16th of July 2016 to . This in Baku) was joined by fellow national period has seen an impressive improvement team members Shankland and Robson, of the quality of So’s chess, which cements the old guard Kamsky and Shabalov, him at the top of the world chess pyramid plus the young and promising Xiong and right next to the World Champion. Naroditsky. The other participants were So started the tournament in excellent style Onischuk (who rarely plays nowadays by crushing Shabalov in 29 moves:

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So Shabalov Amazing: Wesley - Alexander So’s last loss in a game ch-USA 2017 Saint Louis USA (1.1) with classical time- 1.c4 c6 2.¤f3 d5 3.e3 ¤f6 4.d4 ¥g4 control was on 16th 5.h3 ¥f5 Somewhat peculiar, but soon it July 2016, to Magnus transposes to the usual lines. Carlsen 5...¥h5 6.¤c3 e6 7.g4 ¥g6 is the more 13...¥e7 was So’s choice and it is the usual move order. main move. The threat is ...¥g5. The game continued 14.¦h3 ¦h5 this was not strictly 6.¤c3 e6 7.g4 ¥g6 8.¤e5 ¤bd7 9.¤xg6 necessary. 15.0–0–0 £c7 16.¢b1 dxc4 hxg6 10.g5 This is the more direct approach. 17.¥xc4 0–0–0 18.¤e2 with easier play Black’s idea in this line of the Slav is to for White: ½–½ (43) Meier,G (2654)-So,W establish a strong central structure on the (2778) Dortmund 2015. white squares in order to limit White’s 14.0–0–0 dxc4?! unopposed white-squared bishop. XIIIIIIIIY 10.¥d2 is the main alternative. 9r+-wqkvl-tr0 9+p+n+pzp-0 10...¤g8 White’s last move weakened f5 so the knight immediately heads there. 9p+p+p+p+0 9+-+-+nzP-0 10...¤e4 is an alternative worthy of consideration. 9-+pzP-+QzP0 9+-sN-zP-+-0 11.h4 ¤e7 12.¥d2 ¤f5 13.£g4 So is 9PzP-vL-zP-+0 actually following the moves of his own game from 2015, however back then he 9+-mKR+L+R0 played as Black. He must have liked how xiiiiiiiiy White treated the opening. This looks dubious. Black commences operations in the centre, with his king 13...a6 still stuck on e8 and his development unfinished. Now as the game opens XIIIIIIIIY up, the king on e8 lays deprived of the 9r+-wqkvl-tr0 queenside shelter he found in the game 9+p+n+pzp-0 Meier-So. 9p+p+p+p+0 14...£c7 15.¢b1 dxc4 16.¥xc4 0–0–0 was 9+-+p+nzP-0 better, similar to So’s game against Meier. 9-+PzP-+QzP0 15.¥xc4 c5 16.dxc5 This wins a tempo, 9+-sN-zP-+-0 but it also helps Black’s development. But 9PzP-vL-zP-+0 not much! 9tR-+-mKL+R0 16.¥b3!? was probably stronger, as Black xiiiiiiiiy would not find it easy to continue. 16...cxd4 A rather neutral move. The idea is to cover 17.exd4 ¥e7 18.¢b1 with the imminent d5 b5 so that later on Black can push ...c5 - Black’s main problem is his king because without worries about a possible ¤b5. it is impossible to castle short in view of the deadly h5 threat.

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16...¥xc5 16...¤xc5 17.¥e2 ¥e7 18.¢b1 Round 1, but then got into a rut, drawing does not change much - Black’s problem 7 games in a row! His problem was not with the king will not go away. creating winning chances. Caruana, on the other hand, had a different 17.¥e2 ¥e7 18.¢b1 White’s last problem – he struggled to convert the preparatory move. winning chances he managed to create. His first win came in Round 6 (after the first 5 18...£b6 19.¤a4 And now the tempo-play finished in draws) at the expense of an out- starts. No relief for Black in sight. of-form Kamsky.

19...£c7 20.¦c1 £d6 21.¥a5 The threat - is ¥c7. ch-USA 2017 Saint Louis USA (6.3) 21...¤e5 22.£e4 ¤c6 23.¦hd1 ¦xh4 24.f4 £b8 24...¤xa5 25.¦xd6 ¤xd6 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 26.£b4 is equally hopeless. 4...£b6 has been played by Kamsky before.

25.¤b6 ¤d6 5.¤c3 e5 A very uncharacteristic choice for Kamsky, who prefers less theoretical XIIIIIIIIY lines. I am sure Caruana did not expect 9rwq-+k+-+0 this but an elite player can adjust his play 9+p+-vlpzp-0 according to circumstances. 9psNnsnp+p+0 6.¤db5 d6 7.¥g5 a6 8.¤a3 b5 9.¥xf6 9vL-+-+-zP-0 And here comes the adjustment. The popularity of the Sveshnikov dropped 9-+-+QzP-tr0 dramatically when the line 9.¤d5 ¥e7 9+-+-zP-+-0 10. ¥f6 ¥f6 11.c4 turned out to be a 9PzP-+L+-+0 "tranquiliser" of Black’s aggression. 9+KtRR+-+-0 The game move used to be very popular but xiiiiiiiiy Black’s counterplay was always sufficient. 25...¦a7 26.£a4 with the simple idea of However, I very much doubt Kamsky ¥f3.; 25...¤xa5 26.£a4+ ¤c6 27.¦xc6 expected this! Caruana may have analysed bxc6 28.£xc6+ ¢f8 29.¤d7+ wins the this at some point, whereas Kamsky was queen on b8. most probably banking on the slow lines of the current main line after 9.¤d5 and 11.c4. 26.£a4 ¦a7 27.¥f3 Simple chess, increasing the pressure as Black’s position 9.¤d5 ¥e7 10.¥xf6 ¥xf6 11.c4 b4 12.¤c2 is about to burst. and the game will be slow and strategic, not something the Sveshnikov players are 27...¤b5 28.£c2 £c7 29.¦d7 Black’s attracted to (but Kamsky probably was!). position is completely devastated and he Black is very close to being equal here, has no alternative but to resign. but he is never really completely equal, 1–0 hence the massive drop in popularity of the Sveshnikov and exodus to the Najdorf.

The struggle of 9...gxf6 10.¤d5 ¥g7 10...f5 is more Fabiano Caruana popular nowadays, but both moves are playable. Now we see Kamsky trying to Nakamura also started with a fine win in step away from mainstream theory.

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11.¥d3 ¤e7 12.¤xe7 £xe7 13.c3 The Black tried all he could on the kingside, critical move. but there was simply nothing that could be done. 13.c4 f5 and extensive theory shows that Black is more than OK here. 17...0–0 18.¤b4 f5 19.0–0 fxe4 20.¥xe4 ¦ac8 21.¦ad1 13...f5 14.¤c2 f4 This is possible, but not the best. Did Kamsky not know this, or was XIIIIIIIIY he still trying to get away from the main 9-+r+-trk+0 lines as soon as possible? 9+-+-wq-vl-0 14...£b7 is the main line here, but also not 9-+-zpl+-zp0 necessarily the best. 14...0–0 and 14...£g5 9+p+-zp-+Q0 are alternatives. 9-sN-+Lzp-+0 15.£h5 Curiously enough, this was the 9+-zP-+-+-0 move I analysed back in the 90s! My 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 conclusion was that it was promising for White. 9+-+R+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 15...h6?! 15...0–0 16.g3 was the main idea Black’s main problem is not the material behind 15.£h5, White plans to castle deficit, but rather White’s continued queenside and start an attack. control over the white squares in the centre. 16.¤b4 ¥e6? 21...¦c4 22.£g6 ¦xe4 Desperate, but XIIIIIIIIY there was no other choice. 9r+-+k+-tr0 9+-+-wqpvl-0 23.£xe4 f3 24.¤d5 £g5 25.g3 ¦f7 9p+-zpl+-zp0 25...£h5 26.¤e3 defends g2. 9+p+-zp-+Q0 26.¢h1 ¥h3 27.¦fe1 ¥f5 28.£b4 ¥f8 29.£xb5 Calmly collecting more pawns as 9-sN-+Pzp-+0 Other 9+-zPL+-+-0 participants were 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 Onischuk 9tR-+-mK-+R0 (who rarely plays xiiiiiiiiy nowadays as he has A huge blunder, signifying that Kamsky has not overcome his problems from the dedicated himself to first rounds. But White is better already coaching), so it is not easy to suggest something for Akobian and Black. Zherebukh If 16...£g5 17.£xg5 hxg5 18.a4 is clearly (who recently switched better for White; if 16...¥b7 17.a4 (17.g3) federation from and if 16...£b7 17.g3. Ukraine). 17.¤xa6! A simple tactic that wins a pawn These three had a lot and eventually the game. From this point to say in Saint Louis!

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Black is ruthlessly deprived of counterplay. Spanish by Zherebukh in Round 7 (a rare sight to see a 2605-rated player outplay a 29...h5 30.¤e3 ¥h3 31.£c4 £g6 32.a4 2817-rated player), crushed Naroditsky’s ¢h8 33.£h4 ¥e6 34.a5 e4 French in Round 8, lost a winning position against Akobian in Round 9 and beat Robson XIIIIIIIIY and Shabalov in the last two rounds. His final 9-+-+-vl-mk0 result of +2 (6.5/11) allowed him to share 3rd 9+-+-+r+-0 place with Nakamura (who also won his last two games) and Akobian. 9-+-zpl+q+0 This is a far cry from Caruana’s 8.5/11 9zP-+-+-+p0 from last year, but he paid the price for the failure to convert winning positions. This has 9-+-+p+-wQ0 afflicted Caruana before, most notably at the 9+-zP-sNpzP-0 Candidates Tournament in Moscow last year, 9-zP-+-zP-zP0 and it is definitely something he needs to 9+-+RtR-+K0 work on. xiiiiiiiiy Nakamura’s rude 35.£d8 This was the simpler way. awakening

35.a6 was also possible 35...¥e7 36.a7 Nakamura seemed somewhat blasé ¥xh4 37.a8£+ ¢h7 38.gxh4. throughout the tournament, but when he finally woke up and started playing 35...¢h7 36.a6 ¥h6 37.£b6 h4 37...¥xe3 his natural game he achieved a winning 38.¦xe3 £f5 39.a7 £h3 40.¦g1. position against Onischuk. But then, very uncharacteristically, Nakamura 38.g4 ¥xg4 39.¦g1 ¥xe3 40.£xe3 miscalculated with dire consequences. 1–0 Hakiru Nakamura - Alexander Onischuk ch-USA 2017 Saint Louis USA (9.3) Although he played well, instability started to plague Caruana. He was convincingly This was the position after 31 moves. Black outplayed on the Black side of a Breyer to play... Caruana struggled to convert XIIIIIIIIY winning chances 9-mk-+-+-tr0 9zppsn-+P+-0 9-+p+l+-+0 9+-+-+p+-0 9-+pzP-+q+0 9+-sN-+N+-0 9PzP-+-+-tr0 9+K+RwQR+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 31...¦g2?! 31...¦2h7 was better, keeping the position dynamically balanced.

32.d5?! Nakamura missed his best chance

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33.£e5! once again this was the key move, though this time less effective than on the previous move. There could follow 33...£g7 34.¦g1 £xe5 35.¤xe5 ¦xg1 36.¦xg1 ¦f8 and then:

A) 37.¤e2!? is a curious positional alternative 37...a6 38.¤d4 ¢a7 39.¦g6 ¥xf7 40.¦f6 ¤e8 41.¦xf7 (41.¦xf5 ¤d6 42.¦f6 ¤e4 43.¦xf7 ¦xf7 44.¤xf7 b5 this is similar to the line after 41.¦f7) 41...¦xf7 42.¤xf7 b5 43.¤xf5 ¢b6 and the engine evaluates this as a dead draw, which I found surprising, but it is probably right;

Seven draws in a row: B) 37.¤xd5 ¤xd5 38.¤d7+ ¢c8 39.¤xf8 ¥xf7 40.¦g7 ¥e8 41.¤e6 and White can here. This move is very important for safely play for a win for a very long time. White, but it seems that Nakamura did not make a precise calculation. 33...£g7! The move missed by Nakamura and at a heavy cost. That is very surprising 32.£e5! £g7 (32...¦f8 33.£d6 ¦xf7 indeed because it is the only move for Black 34.¤e5 £g8 35.d5! cxd5 36.¤xf7 £xf7 that does not lose immediately. To make 37.¤xd5 with excellent winning chances things worse, it turns the tables completely for White) 33.¦g1 £xe5 34.¤xe5 ¦xg1 and now it is Black who plays for a win! 35.¦xg1 ¦f8 36.¤a4! Black’s problem is that he cannot take on f7 because of If 33...¥xd5? 34.¦xd5 ¤xd5 35.£e5+; back rank problems. 36...b6 37.¦g6 ¦xf7 and if 33...¤xd5? 34.£e5+; 33...¥xf7? (37...¥xf7 38.¦f6) 38.¤xc6+! White will 34.¤xc7. win the exchange anyway, but first he takes an important pawn 38...¢c8 (38...¢b7 34.¤c3 £xf7 35.£e5 ¦e8 Black is two 39.¤d8+) 39.¦g8+ ¢d7 40.¤e5+ ¢e7 pawns up and eventually he converted his 41.¤xf7 ¢xf7 42.¦g1± and White has advantage, although White still had chances good winning chances here. to save the game. A very uncharacteristic performance by Nakamura. 32...cxd5 33.¤xd5? 0–1 XIIIIIIIIY 9-mk-+-+-tr0 So and America’s most 9zppsn-+P+-0 promising youngster 9-+-+l+-+0 In the meantime So continued in his 9+-+N+p+-0 trademark “slow and steady” style and 9-+p+-+q+0 notched up another win against Onischuk in Round 4. 9+-+-+N+-0 After 4 more draws and the tournament 9PzP-+-+r+0 coming to an end he was determined to score at least one more win. In Round 10 So was 9+K+RwQR+-0 Black against America’s most promising xiiiiiiiiy youngster, 16-year old Jeffery Xiong.

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Jefery Xiong - Wesley So XIIIIIIIIY ch-USA 2017 Saint Louis USA (9.1) 9-tr-wq-trk+0 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.g3 Playing the 9+-zp-vlpzpp0 Catalan against So is a very interesting 9p+-+psn-+0 psychological choice because So uses the same opening with great effect as White. 9+-zp-+-vL-0 9P+pzP-+-+0 3...d5 4.¥g2 ¥e7 Continuing with the main line, one of the most reliable ways 9+-sN-zP-zP-0 for Black. It is worth noting that Kramnik, 9-zPQ+-zP-zP0 who practically single-handedly ushered 9tR-+R+-mK-0 the Catalan to the elite level starting with his match against Topalov in 2006, when xiiiiiiiiy So’s improvement. It is the engine’s first forced to play against it also keeps to this choice so Xiong must have analysed line. it. However, from what happened next, perhaps he did not do it very deeply. 5.¤f3 0–0 6.0–0 dxc4 7.£c2 a6 8.a4 8.£xc4 is the other main line, but it has 14...¤d5 15.¥xe7 £xe7 16.¤e4 was lately been abandoned because Black found slightly better for White in Xiong,J reliable ways to equalise. One of which (2641)-Harmon Vellotti,L (2434) Saint is Kramnik’s 8...b5 9.£c2 ¥b7 10.¥d2 Louis 2016. ¥e4 11.£c1 c6!? this was first played by Rozentalis, but it only gained popularity 15.dxc5 £e8 16.¦d4 ¤d7 17.¥xe7 £xe7 after 12.a4 ¤bd7 13.¤c3 ¥g6 1/2–1/2 (63) 18.c6? Giri,A (2768)-Kramnik,V (2769) London 2014. America’s most promising youngster: 8...¥d7 9.¦d1 9.£xc4 is the main line. 16-year old Jefery Xiong

9...¥c6 10.¤c3 Threatening e4.

10...¥xf3 11.¥xf3 ¤c6 12.¥xc6 Both Xiong and So have played this position before.

12.e3 is an alternative, but then White will not find it easy to recover the sacrificed pawn. 12...¤d5 13.£e2 ¤a5 ½–½ (21) Romanishin,O (2580)-Geller,E (2565) Vilnius 1980.

12...bxc6 13.¥g5 Xiong follows his own game.

13.a5 ¤d5 14.¤a2 ¤f6 15.¤c3 ¤d5 16.¤a4 £b8 and Black was fine in Kovalyov,A (2636)-So,W (2744) Edmonton 2014.

13...¦b8 14.e3 c5

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22.¢xf2 After this White is lost, but his XIIIIIIIIY position was very difficult anyway. 9-tr-+-trk+0 9+-zpnwqpzpp0 22.¤xa6 was better, but after 22...£g5 23.£f3 ¦xb2 White’s position is not one to 9p+P+p+-+0 be envied. He is under attack and his forces 9+-+-+-+-0 are scattered. In an actual game this is next to impossible to save. 24.c7 is the only 9P+ptR-+-+0 reasonable move to continue 24...¤h3+! 9+-sN-zP-zP-0 (24...¤d3 25.¦f1 threatening £f7 is OK 9-zPQ+-zP-zP0 for White) 25.¢h1 h6!! the last two moves (and especially this one) are impossible 9tR-+-+-mK-0 to find by sheer calculation in a practical xiiiiiiiiy game. 26.¦xc4 (26.¦f1 £a5! 27.£xf7+ This lets the knight get active. It is amazing ¦xf7 28.c8£+ ¢h7 wins for Black - that from here the game is extremely forced. here we see the importance of 25...h6!!) From a practical perspective I would say 26...¦f2 27.£c6 ¦c8 28.¦c2 (28.£b7? that White is lost! £xe3! 29.£xc8+ ¢h7 30.£b7 £d2 mates for Black) 28...£f6 29.¦ac1 ¦xc2 18.f4 is what the engine wants to play, 30.£xc2 £f3+ 31.£g2 ¤f2+ 32.¢g1 indicating 0.00. But weakening the king £xe3 33.¦a1 ¤d3+ 34.¢h1 £b6 and like this is not to a human’s taste. 18... Black wins. e5 (18...¤xc5 19.¦xc4 ¤b3 20.¦b1 ¤a5 21.¦d4 c5 22.¦dd1 ¦b4 23.¤e4) 19.¦xc4 22...¦xb2+ 23.¢f1 £h5 24.£g4 £xh2 exf4 20.exf4 £e3+ 21.¢g2 (21.¢f1 £f3+ 25.£f3 c3! It is impossible to defend 22.¢g1 £e3+ is a perpetual) 21...¤f6 against the attack now. There are simply 22.¦d1 and White’s good central control is too many threats. a guarantee against problems. 26.¦c1 e5 Removing the rook from the 18...¤e5 19.£e4 £c5 20.¤d5 20.f4?! ¤g4. d-file because it needs to defend the e4– square. 20...¤d3 21.¤xc7 XIIIIIIIIY 27.¦h4 9-tr-+-trk+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+-sN-+pzpp0 9-+-+-trk+0 9p+P+p+-+0 9+-sN-+pzpp0 9+-wq-+-+-0 9p+P+-+-+0 9P+ptRQ+-+0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9+-+nzP-zP-0 9P+-+-+-tR0 9-zP-+-zP-zP0 9+-zp-zPQzP-0 9tR-+-+-mK-0 9-tr-+-+-wq0 xiiiiiiiiy 9+-tR-+K+-0 21...¤xf2! A very difficult sacrifice to xiiiiiiiiy make in the style of the great Russian After this it is pretty. player Mikhail Tal. The lines are almost impossible to calculate, so Black had to 27.¦d5 e4 and the queen must abandon f3 rely on his intuition. which will result in a mate. 27.¦c4 was

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 275 05/137 the most resilient, forcing Black to find the Black) nor Onischuk (playing Kamsky with following winning line. 27...¦fb8 28.¤d5 Black) would win, so he thought he was not ¦f2+! 29.£xf2 £h1+ 30.£g1 £xd5 risking much by taking a draw. It turned 31.¦4xc3 ¦b2 White is a rook up but his out he was completely right, but I cannot position is defenceless. 32.¦3c2 ¦xc2 escape the feeling of nostalgia for the last- 33.¦xc2 £d1+ 34.¢g2 £xc2+ 35.¢h3 round excitement of the Kasparov era. £xc6 with a winning queen endgame. The tie-break was not as one-sided as many expected. So won the first game after 27...£d2 28.¦d1 ¦d8! 29.¤d5 If 29.¦xd2 Onischuk erred in a complex position. ¦dxd2 30.¢g1 ¦b1+ 31.£f1 c2 wins easily. Wesley So - Alexande Onischuk 29...¦xd5 30.¦d4 ¦xd4 31.exd4 £xd1+ ch-USA TB 2017 Saint Louis USA (1) If now 31...£xd1+ 32.£xd1 c2 wins. 0–1 1.c4 e6 2.¤c3 ¤f6 One might wonder why Onischuk gave So an extra possibility A beautiful game. Calculating the combination with this move order. Onischuk was very precisely was very difficult because there successful with the QGD in the tournament were lot of lines which were impossible to so I assume he wanted to play it, but see for a human (especially after 22.¤a6), but then why not just 2...d5? Was he perhaps this only serves as proof of So’s fine intuition intending the Nimzo Indian defense after – undoubtedly he saw a lot, but he did not see White’s 3.d4 move? everything and still he went into Tal’s “deep dark forest”, trusting his senses. 2...d5 inevitably leads to the QGD after 3.d4.

The tie-break: not a 3.e4 And White takes the opportunity. So one-sided match has played like this before.

Somewhat inconspicuously, as if walking 3...d5 4.cxd5 exd5 5.e5 ¤e4 6.¤f3 ¥f5 carefully and quietly between the raindrops, 7.¥e2 Deviating from his game against Alexander Onischuk achieved a shared first Nakamura. place. Crucial for his success were the wins in 7.d4 ¥b4 8.¥d2 ¥xc3 9.¥xc3 0–0 1–0 Round 9 (against Nakamura, see above) (71) So,W (2770)-Nakamura,H (2787) and 10 (against Xiong, who was obviously Leuven 2016. out of form). The last round saw three leaders – So, 7...¥e7 7...c5 is an alternative; if 7...¤c6 Onischuk and Akobian. I still vividly 8.0–0 ¥e7 and now the game move remember the times when Kasparov would 9.£b3 is not that good in view of 9...¤c5! get excited at the prospect of a last round 10.£xd5 ¥d3 and Black has excellent play win that would clinch him the tournament. - compared to the game the ¤c6 here does More often than not, he was successful in not allow White to take on b7. such situations. But, modern times have different rules. 8.0–0 0–0 9.£b3 ¤c6 9...¤c5 is not So was Black against Naroditsky (whom good here 10.£xd5 ¥d3 11.¥xd3 ¤xd3 he outrated by 176 points) and he did not 12.£xb7! mind a quick draw, which is what happened – a well-known 14-move repetition in the 10.¤xd5 10.£xb7 ¤b4. Berlin. He said that he was confident that neither Akobian (playing Nakamura with 10...¥c5?

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to c5 as in the game. 12...¤g5 (12...¤xf2 XIIIIIIIIY 13.¦xf2 ¤d4 14.¤xd4 ¥xd4 15.¥d2 9r+-wq-trk+0 Black does not have any threats) 13.£xb7 9zppzp-+pzpp0 ¤d4 14.¤xd4 ¥xd4 15.£d5 with a big 9-+n+-+-+0 advantage. 9+-vlNzPl+-0 12...¤d4 13.¤xd4 ¥xd4 14.d3 9-+-+n+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+Q+-+N+-0 9r+-wq-trk+0 9PzP-zPLzPPzP0 9zpQzp-+pzpp0 9tR-vL-+RmK-0 9-+-+-+l+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+-zP-+-0 Instead 10...¤g5! should be played. But, it is such an “inhuman” move. A pawn down, 9-+-vln+-+0 b7 is hanging and Black is moving his most 9+-+PsN-+-0 active piece in order to exchange it and 9PzP-+LzPPzP0 concede the bishop pair in the process! But all this does not mean that it is not the best 9tR-vL-+RmK-0 move... There might follow 11.¤xe7+ £xe7 xiiiiiiiiy 12.¤xg5 £xg5 13.d3 (13.d4 £d8 14.¥e3 14...¤c5! 15.£b5 15.£f3 ¥xe5 16.¤c4 is ¤xd4 15.¥xd4 £xd4 16.£xb7 £xe5 is the engine’s preference, but here Black has equal) 13...£g6 14.¥e3 ¤xe5 15.£xb7 good play for a pawn. ¦ab8 16.£d5 ¦fe8 with compensation. 15...¦b8 16.£c4 ¤e6 17.f4 Preventing ... 11.¤e3 ¥g6 12.£xb7 Two pawns are two ¤f4. pawns, as So said. But this gives Black counterplay. 17...¥xb2 XIIIIIIIIY 12.d3! Inverting the move order would have forced the ¤e4 to go to g5 and not 9-tr-wq-trk+0 9zp-zp-+pzpp0 As if walking between the raindrops: Alexander Onischuk slowly and silently 9-+-+n+l+0 made his way to shared first place 9+-+-zP-+-0 9-+Q+-zP-+0 9+-+PsN-+-0 9Pvl-+L+PzP0 9tR-vL-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy Not bad, but letting White off the hook a bit as the bind is loosened. 17...c5! Keeping it positional gave Black great play, but he needed to calculate what happens after 18.f5 £g5 19.fxe6 ¥xe3+ 20.¢h1 £xe5 and Black is fine here.

18.¦b1 £d4? 18...¤d4! Was the only move

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 277 05/137 to keep the balance 19.¦xb2 ¦xb2 20.¥xb2 ¦e2 29.fxe6 ¦e8 30.e7+ ¢h8 31.¥g5 ¤xe2+ 21.¢h1 ¥xd3 and Black is OK. 1–0

19.¦xb2? Flashy, but not so good. In a must-win situation Onischuk went for the 19.£xd4! was better: 19...¥xd4 20.¦xb8 popular Reti in order to get a position with many ¦xb8 21.¢h1 threatening f5 21...¥xe3 pieces and try to outplay So. And it worked! 22.¥xe3 ¦b2 23.¦e1 threatening g4 23... In a battle of bishops versus knights the bishops h5 24.h3 again with the idea of g4 - the ¥g6 prevailed and he achieved a winning position. is in a dangerous position. 24...¦b4 25.g3 But winning against So is not a trivial matter, h4 26.a3 ¦a4 27.¦f1 and White’s advantage even from a winning position. should prevail. Alexander Onischuk - Wesley So 19...¦xb2 20.¥g4!? XIIIIIIIIY ch-USA TB 2017 Saint Louis USA (2) 9-+-+-trk+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9zp-zp-+pzpp0 9-+-+-+k+0 9-+-+n+l+0 9+-+-+-zp-0 9+-+-zP-+-0 9-zp-+-zp-+0 9-+Qwq-zPL+0 9+-sn-+-+-0 9+-+PsN-+-0 9-+P+-wQPzP0 9Ptr-+-+PzP0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-vL-+RmK-0 9-+-+-zPLmK0 9+-+-wq-+-0 A surprisingxiiiiiiiiy move that probably confused Onischuk. The bishop is not attacked xiiiiiiiiy anymore and f5 is a constant threat. 40...£e7 41.£b8+ Still OK, but putting the bishop on d5 on the next move was already 20.¥xb2 £xe3+ 21.¦f2 ¦b8 22.£c1 a must. This is less apparent when it is not £b6 gives Black enough activity. with check. That is why the game move is a "practical imprecision" even though the move 20...¦b4? The final mistake. is objectively good.

20...£xc4 was possible, but difficult to assess The triumverate of whether it is good for Black. 21.dxc4 ¦xa2 Caruana, Nakamura 22.f5 h5! 23.¥d1 a5. The moves ...h5 and and So (in board order ...a5 are super-human. Apparently, after these that won the Olympiad two moves it is 0.00 according to the engine. in Baku) was joined by 20...£b6! was simpler: 21.¥xb2 (21.f5? fellow national team ¦b4! is the idea) 21...£xe3+ 22.¢h1 members Shankland ¥xd3 and Black is safe. and Robson, the old 21.£xd4 ¦xd4 22.f5 Now White wins guard Kamsky and material and the game is over. Shabalov, plus the 22...¤f4 23.¤c2 ¦a4 24.¥xf4 h5 25.¥d1 young and promising ¥h7 26.¤e3 ¦xa2 27.e6 fxe6 28.¥b3 Xiong and Naroditsky

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Somewhat knight and the weak f4–square make it very inconspicuously, problematic, if at all possible. as if walking between 46...¤e5 47.¥d5 g5! Fixing White’s black the raindrops, square weaknesses. Alexander Onischuk claimed shared 48.h5 ¢g7 49.¢g2 ¢h6 first place XIIIIIIIIY 41.¥d5+! wins for White in all lines. 9-+-+-+-+0 41...¢h7 (41...¢f8 42.£b8+ £e8 9+-+-+-+-0 43.£xb6 £e5+ 44.¢h3 and compared to 9-+-+-zp-mk0 the game the bad position of the Black king decides the game in White's favour - Black 9+-+Lsn-zpP0 cannot avoid the exchange of queens after 9-+Pwq-+P+0 Qd8; 41...¢h8 42.£b8+ ¢h7 43.£g8+ ¢h6 44.£h8+ ¢g6 45.£h5#) 42.£f5+ 9+-+-+-+-0 g6 43.£c8 £g7 44.¢g2 and Black is 9-+-+QzPK+0 completely paralysed. 9+-+-+-+-0 41...¢h7 42.£xb6?! 42.¥d5! xiiiiiiiiy Black’s pieces control black squares and 42...£e5+ 43.¢g1 £d4 Now Black has White cannot advance. It is curious to note counterplay (especially in a rapid game) that the engine gives a winning advantage even though the engine says White is to White, but even at depth 48 it is still winning easily. rated at 1.67, meaning it cannot find a way to win. 44.£b1+? 50.¢g3 £f4+ 51.¢h3 £d4 52.¢g3 £f4+ 53.¢g2 £d4 54.¥e6 This allows Black XIIIIIIIIY to put the knight on f4, and the engine 9-+-+-+-+0 immediately says 0.00. But what else could 9+-+-+-zpk0 White try? 9-+-+-zp-+0 54...¤d3 55.¢g1 ¤f4 56.£c2 £a1+ 9+-sn-+-+-0 57.¢h2 £e5 58.¥g8 ¤xh5+ Now it is 9-+Pwq-+PzP0 obvious that the game will end in a draw. 9+-+-+-+-0 59.¢g2 ¤f4+ 60.¢f3 ¤g6 61.£e4 ¤h4+ 9-+-+-zPL+0 62.¢e3 ¤g2+ 63.¢f3 ¤e1+ 64.¢e3 ¤c2+ 9+Q+-+-mK-0 ½–½ xiiiiiiiiy 44.¥f3! is the winning way: 44...£xc4 45.£b1+ ¢g8 46.£b8+ ¢h7 47.£e8! In a tournament where his most direct not an easy manoeuvre to see. The threat competitors faltered, So’s stability brought is £h5 and ¥d5. 47...g6 48.£e7+ ¢g8 him another success. He has risen to number 49.£xf6 and this is technically winning. 2 in the world and at the moment is playing the best chess. 44...¤d3 45.£c2 ¢h8 46.£e2 Even All of a sudden Carlsen’s dominance does though two pawns up it is not clear that not seem insurmountable any longer. this is winning for White. The queen, Bearing all this in mind, it is worth repeating

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So’s own views about the future and Carlsen, Asked if he is ready to take on Carlsen, expressed in a recent BCM interview: So replid: “I never feel ready to take on When asked about who does he see as the anyone. I go into each game just hoping next world champion, Wesley So had this to for the best no matter who I’m playing! say: “I have no idea. Life is strange and weird Sometimes lower rated players can pull things happen all the time. Better just to live unpleasant surprises. Sometimes higher the part you’re in, instead of wondering about rated players aren’t in form. Anything can parts of it you may never reach.” happen on any day.”

USA Championship 2017, Saint Louis 29.03 - 9.4.2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 So, Wesley 2822 * 1½½½½½½½½11 7.0/11 2 Onischuk, Alexander 2667 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 7.0/11 3 Akobian, Varuzhan 2645 ½½*011011½½½ 6.5/11 4 Nakamura, Hikaru 2793 ½ ½ 1 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 6.5/11 5 Caruana, Fabiano 2817 ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 6.5/11 6 Zherebukh, Yaroslav 2605 ½ ½ 0 0 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 5.5/11 7 Naroditsky, Daniel 2646 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ * 0 ½ ½ ½ 5.0/11 8 Shankland, Samuel L 2666 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ 5.0/11 9 Kamsky, Gata 2659 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ * 0 1 ½ 5.0/11 10 Robson, Ray 2668 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ 1 4.5/11 11 Xiong, Jeffery 2674 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ * 0 4.0/11 12 Shabalov, Alexander 2556 00½½00½½½01 * 3.5/11

280 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017

The women’s 20.¤d2 ¤bd7 21.£b2 championship XIIIIIIIIY 9-+rtr-+k+0 The 2017 US Women’s Championship is an elite national championship event, featuring 9vll+nwqp+-0 12 of the strongest female chess players in 9p+-+psn-zp0 America and the women’s tournament was no less exciting than the men’s. This year’s 9+p+-+-zp-0 winner was Sabina Foisor, who won the 9-zP-+-+-+0 title with a spectacular victory in the last 9zP-sN-zP-vL-0 round. The race was between defending champion 9-wQ-sN-zPPzP0 Nazi Paikidze and Sabina-Francesca Foisor. 9+LtR-+RmK-0 The rating favourites Irina Krush and Anna xiiiiiiiiy Zatonskih did not manage to keep up the Getting out of the pin, but with this White pace – Krush lost two games with White liberates the ¤f6 because it does not have against Yu and Paikidze, while Zatonskih to cover h7 anymore. lost the crucial game against eventual winner Foisor in the penultimate round. 21.¦fd1 was entirely possible as Black Sabina Foisor – Anna Zatonskih cannot use the pin on the c-file. ch-USA w 2017 Saint Louis USA (10.2) 21...¤h5! 22.£c2? But this is just a waste of time and in such a position time is 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¤f6 4.¤f3 ¥e7 precious! 5.¥f4 0–0 6.¦c1 c5 7.dxc5 ¥xc5 8.e3 ¤c6 9.a3 a6 10.b4 ¥a7 This is rarely 22.¥e4 is a typical move, neutralising the played nowadays. strong bishop on b7. 22...¤df6 23.¥xb7 £xb7 24.¤e2 with further exchanges to 10...¥d6 is the main line and is considered follow. good for Black. 22...f5! Of course, Black takes over the 11.¥g3 11.c5 was played by Gelfand 11... initiative now. h6 12.¥e2 ¥b8 13.0–0 e5 14.¥g3 ¥e6 with unclear play: 1–0 (51) Gelfand,B 23.¥a2 White operates with one-move (2691)-Topalov,V (2700) Monte Carlo threats that are easily parried, but it is 1999. already difficult to suggest something constructive. 11...h6 12.£c2 £e7 13.¥e2 dxc4 14.¥xc4 b5 15.¥a2 ¥b7 16.¥b1 White delays 23...¢g7 24.£d1 ¤xg3 25.hxg3 ¤e5 castling in order to provoke weakening of 26.£e2 26.¤e2 was better, but Black is Black’s kingside. still much better after 26...¦xc1 27.£xc1 £d6µ. 16...¦fd8 17.¥h4 g5 18.¥g3 ¦ac8 19.0–0 A very complicated position now arises. 26...¤d3 Tempting, but it was better to Both armies are well developed and, for the invert the move order. time being, the weakening of Black’s king does not play a role. 26...£f6! The threat of ...¤d3 is stronger now as the ¤c3 will hang. If 27.¤cb1 f4! 19...¤b8 Redeploying the knight to d7 so it and White’s kingside will collapse. does not block the bishop on b7.

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27.¦c2 £f6 being resourceful in time-trouble! The rest XIIIIIIIIY is easy. 9-+rtr-+-+0 32...¢xf6 33.¤xc6 ¦dd2 34.£xh6+ ¢f7 9vll+-+-mk-0 35.£h7+ ¢f8 36.£e7+ ¢g8 37.£xe6+ ¢h8 38.£h6+ ¢g8 39.£xg5+ ¢h8 9p+-+pwq-zp0 40.£f6+ ¢h7 41.£xf5+ 9+p+-+pzp-0 1–0 9-zP-+-+-+0 A typical high-tension game. On such 9zP-sNnzP-zP-0 occasions, the player who has stronger 9L+RsNQzPP+0 nerves wins. But, also important here was the presence of positional factors that make 9+-+-+RmK-0 the position easier to play, namely White’s xiiiiiiiiy safer king and the presence of a queen in Black is still much better after this but, the vicinity of Black’s king. It requires as they say, a queen is a queen. With time high class nerves and technique to keep a trouble approaching and a safer king now position under control when these factors White can hope for some tricks. are against you (especially in time trouble). Zatonskih did not quite manage it. 28.¤d5! The best practical chance.

28...¦xc2 29.¤xf6 ¦xa2 30.£h5 ¥c6 Paikidze and Foisor entered the last round 31.¤f3 ¤xf2?? on 7/10 and everything was possible. But Paikidze misplayed an advantageous XIIIIIIIIY position against Yu and lost, while Foisor 9-+-tr-+-+0 managed to score her first win with Black 9vl-+-+-mk-0 in the tournament when it mattered most. 9p+l+psN-zp0 Did not manage to retain the title: 9+p+-+pzpQ0 Nazi Paikidze 9-zP-+-+-+0 9zP-+-zPNzP-0 9r+-+-snP+0 9+-+-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy And there you have it - Black loses control in the complications. It is difficult to play against a queen, especially when the king is not very safe.

31...¦f8! still kept things under control. If now 32.¤h7 (Black was probably worried about this) the calm 32...¥e8! 33.£h3 ¦h8! rounds up the wayward knight.

32.¤e5! And all of a sudden White is winning. Triumph of the pragmatic approach of keeping the king safe and

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Apurva Virkud – Sabina Foisor ch-USA w 2017 Saint Louis USA (11.2)

1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¥b4 Foisor did not have much luck with the QGD in the previous rounds (she lost both games when she played it) so she chooses the Nimzo Indian for the decisive game.

4.£c2 0–0 5.¤f3 c5 6.dxc5 ¤a6 7.c6 Morozevich’s original idea from 2008, but not a good practical choice in my opinion. With natural moves Black obtains a strong centre and her position is easier to play.

7.g3 is much more popular nowadays.

7...bxc6 8.g3 d5 9.¥d2? XIIIIIIIIY 9r+lwq-trk+0 Sabina Foisor played confidently and 9zp-+-+pzpp0 won when it mattered most 9n+p+psn-+0 Not really necessary, but a useful move 9+-+p+-+-0 nevertheless. White cannot do much 9-vlP+-+-+0 anyway. 9+-sN-+NzP-0 15...c5 16.¤h4 ¥c8 planning to go ...Re8 9PzPQvLPzP-zP0 and ...e4 was good for Black. 9tR-+-mKL+R0 16.£a5 c5 17.b3 e4 The pawns are rolling. xiiiiiiiiy After this White is just worse. My guess 18.¤d2 ¦fe8 19.¦ad1 Too passive. is that Virkud was probably surprised by the Nimzo Indian and improvised over the Better was 19.e3!? but White would still board, but this cost her dearly have had to do something to combat Black’s strong centre 19...¦bd8 (19...d3 9.a3 is better, forcing Black to define the 20.a3 covering b4 and White will prepare position of the ¥b4; 9.¥g2 is another f3) 20.exd4 cxd4 21.¦ac1 ¤b8! with the reasonable move because after 9...d4 10.a3 idea of ...¤c6 and Black is still better, but ¥a5 11.b4 ¤xb4 12.axb4 ¥xb4 13.¥d2 White can fight too. 22.£xa7? the pawn dxc3 14.¥xc3 ¥xc3+ 15.£xc3 White has cannot be taken 22...¤c6 23.£b6 (23.£c5 good compensation for the pawn. ¦e5 24.£a3 e3 and Black crashes through) 23...¦b8 24.£c5 ¤b4 with ...¤d3 to come. 9...d4 10.¤e4 ¦b8 11.¤xf6+ £xf6 12.¥g2 e5 A dream position for Black 19...¦b6 20.¤b1 20.e3 was still better, after only 12 moves! What more to wish for but White keeps postponing it to her own in a decisive game? detriment.

13.0–0 ¥f5 14.£c1 ¥xd2 15.£xd2 h6 20...£e7 This liberates the 6th rank for the rook.

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21.e3 Too late now as Black is much better prepared than 2 moves ago. XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+r+k+0 21...¥g4 22.¦d2 9zp-+-+pzp-0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-tr-zp0 9-+-+r+k+0 9wQ-zp-+-+-0 9zp-+-wqpzp-0 9-snPzP-+l+0 9ntr-+-+-zp0 9+P+-wq-zP-0 9wQ-zp-+-+-0 9P+-tR-+LzP0 9-+Pzpp+l+0 9+N+-+-tRK0 9+P+-zP-zP-0 xiiiiiiiiy This allows for a beautiful finish. A very 9P+-tR-zPLzP0 pleasing way for Foisor to win her first US 9+N+-+RmK-0 title! xiiiiiiiiy 22...¤b4! The attack comes from all sides. 26...£xg1+! 27.¢xg1 ¦e1+ 28.¥f1 ¦fxf1+ 29.¢g2 ¦g1+ 30.¢f2 ¦ef1+ 23.exd4 e3! 24.fxe3 £xe3+ 25.¢h1 ¦f6 31.¢e3 ¦f3+ Mate would have followed 26.¦g1 quickly by 32.¢e2 (32.¢e4 ¦e1+ 33.¦e2 ¦xe2#) 32...¦f5+ 33.¢e3 ¦e1+ 34.¦e2 ¦xe2#, and so White resigned. 0–1

USA Championship 2017, Saint Louis 29.03 - 9.4.2017 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 1 Foisor, Sabina 2272 * ½0½01111111 8.0/11 2 Paikidze, Nazi 2369 ½ * 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 7.0/11 3 Krush, Irina 2444 1 0 * 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 6.5/11 4 Yu, Jennifer R 2196 ½ 1 1 * 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 6.0/11 5 Feng, Maggie 2162 1 ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 6.0/11 6 Zatonskih, Anna 2451 0 1 ½ 0 1 * ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 6.0/11 7 Sharevich, Anna 2257 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 1 6.0/11 8 Nemcova, Katerina 2359 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 5.5/11 9 Abrahamyan, Tatev 2364 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 4.5/11 10 Virkud, Apurva 2262 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 1 0 0 * 1 1 4.0/11 11 Yip, Carissa 2234 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ 0 * 1 1.0/11 12 Nguyen, Emily 2173 0½00000½000 * 3.5/11

284 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 The 17th Bangkok Chess Club Open

Short takes the BCC open for the third time by IM Shaun Taulbut Photo: Bangkok Chess Club / Facebook From 8 - 16 April 193 players from more Gustafsson. The winner of this year’s than 34 countries took part in the 17th Hastings tournament, Indian GM Deep Bangkok Chess Club Open. Among them Sangupta came 6th. was Britain’s GM Nigel Short who won the tournament with 7.5/9. GMs Ivan Rozum, Before this win, Short took the tournament Anton Shomoev, Gerhard Schebler and Jan twice before, in 2015 and 2012. Gustafsson shared second place with 7/9. Short played the tournament very well, Altogether 19 Grandmasters and 15 IM including the following positional win took part, including Wang Hao and Jan against Armenian GM, Karen Grigoryan.

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 285 05/137Final Ranking Name FED Rtg. Pts TB1 TB2 TB3 TB4 TB5 Rp 1 2 GM Short Nigel D ENG 2683 7,5 0,0 52,5 43,25 6,0 38,5 2656 2 5 GM Rozum Ivan RUS 2600 7,0 0,0 55,5 41,75 5,0 37,5 2615 3 10 GM Shomoev Anton RUS 2543 7,0 0,0 53,5 40,00 6,0 36,0 2564 4 28 GM Schebler Gerhard GER 2387 7,0 0,0 53,0 38,50 6,0 35,0 2564 5 3 GM Gustafsson Jan GER 2626 7,0 0,0 52,0 39,50 5,0 38,0 2598 6 7 GM Sengupta Deep IND 2583 6,5 0,0 55,0 37,25 6,0 37,5 2564 7 1 GM Wang Hao CHN 2690 6,5 0,0 53,0 37,50 4,0 35,5 2515 8 15 GM Lei Tingjie CHN 2471 6,5 0,0 52,5 35,00 6,0 34,0 2490 9 12 IM Himanshu Sharma IND 2493 6,5 0,0 51,0 35,50 4,0 36,0 2510 10 24 Mu Ke CHN 2408 6,5 0,0 50,5 34,00 5,0 34,00 2445

Nigel Short – Karen Grigoryan 13.f4 17th BCC Open 2017 Cha-Am THA (7.2) 13.£d2 is solid and good but White prefers to start a kingside pawn storm. 1.¤f3 ¤f6 2.g3 d5 3.¥g2 g6 4.c4 c6 5.b3 XIIIIIIIIY 13...¤c7 14.g4 ¥e8 15.e3 ¤b5 16.g5 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 ¤xc3 17.¥xc3 ¤e4 9zpp+-zpp+p0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+p+-snp+0 9r+r+l+k+0 9+-+p+-+-0 9zpp+-+pvlp0 9-+P+-+-+0 9-wq-+p+p+0 9+P+-+NzP-0 9+-+psN-zP-0 9P+-zPPzPLzP0 9-+-zPnzP-+0 9tRNvLQmK-+R0 9+PvL-zP-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 9P+-+-+LzP0 The double fianchetto; a slow positional opening. 9+-tRQ+RmK-0 5...¥g7 6.¥b2 £b6 xiiiiiiiiy Perhaps the key moment; Black does not A logical move with threats against the White want a passive position so plays his knight bishop on b2 now White has to play carefully. to e4 allowing White to exchange. 7.cxd5 cxd5 Probably best was 7...¤e4 when White must 18.¥xe4 dxe4 19.¤g4 play 8.d4 when 8...cxd5 9.¤c3 is equal. White preserves his knight aiming to probe the kingside dark squares. 8.0–0 0–0 9.¤c3 ¥d7 10.d4 Now White has a slight edge 19...£b5 The alternative was 19...¥b5 20.¦e1 £d8 10...¦c8 11.¤e5 e6 12.¦c1 ¤a6 21.£d2 b6 when White is slightly better. After 12...¤c6 13.¤a4 £a5 14.¤c5 ¤xe5 15.dxe5 ¦xc5 16.¦xc5 £xc5 17.exf6 is 20.£d2 £d5 21.¥b4 slightly better for White The White bishop prepares to invade on e7

286 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 and then get to f6 aiming to exchange the 28.£f2 ¦xc1 29.¦xc1 ¦c8 30.¦xc8 ¥xc8 bishops when Black will be defenceless on 31.£c2 ¥d7 32.¥d6 ¥c6 the dark squares. XIIIIIIIIY 21...¥b5 22.¦fe1 h5 9-+-+-+-vl0 On 22...£f5 23.£g2 b6 24.¥d6 threatening 9zpp+-+p+k0 ¥e5 is good so Black tries to gain some 9-+lvLp+pzP0 freedom by this pawn sacrifice. 9+-+-+q+-0 23.gxh6 ¥h8 24.h3 £h5 9-+-zPpzPN+0 Better is 24...f5 25.¤e5 ¥xe5 26.dxe5 £xd2 27.¥xd2 ¢h7 28.¥b4 ¢xh6 9+P+-zP-+P0 29.¥e7 with a slight plus for White 9P+Q+-+-mK0 9+-+-+-+-0 25.¢h2 ¥d7 Again 25...f5 26.¤e5 ¥xe5 27.dxe5 ¦d8 xiiiiiiiiy 28.£g2 £xh6 29.¦c7 with an edge for 32...£a5 33.b4 £d8 34.£c5 with an edge White may be the best try for Black. for White is the best, now White invades.

26.£g2 33.¥e5 g5 26.¥e7 e5 27.¢g3 exf4+ 28.exf4 is Black may have missed that after 33...f6 slightly better for White as well. 34.£c5 fxe5 35.£e7+ ¢g8 36.h7 is mate.

26...¢h7 27.¥e7 £f5 34.£c5 f6 35.£e7+ ¢g6 36.£f8 fxe5 37.£xh8 27...f5 looks best again here. Black cannot stop the White h-pawn 1–0 Chess in Britain

by IM Shaun Taulbut

st The Open tournament was held from 1 Alan B Merry – Mark Hebden – 8th April. The first place was £1,500, second place £750 and, third place £400, Polar Capital Jersey Open St Clement Bay JCI (5.3) fourth place £200. Fifth place £150, with a series of special prizes. 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¤c3 The Two Knights opening; a solid choice but not that The tournament was won jointly by Jack well known. Rudd and Alan Merry with 7/9. Daniel Abbas was 3rd with 6.5/9 and Grandmasters 3...¤f6 4.¥b5 ¤d4 Playable is 4...¥c5 Mark Hebden, Tiger Hillarp Persson and 5.¥xc6 dxc6 6.¤xe5 ¥xf2+ 7.¢xf2 Jonathan Speelman all finished with 6/9. £d4+ 8.Ke1 £xe5 9.d4 £e7 10.£d3 ¥e6 with equality. Here are two exciting games played by the joint winners of the Open. 5.¥c4 ¤xf3+ After 5...¥c5 6.¤xe5 0–0

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7.0–0 d6 8.¤f3 ¥g4 9.¥e2 with a slight Black has some difficulty on the kingside edge for White because of the extra pawn. so opts to develop.

6.gxf3 12...d5 13.¦xg7 ¤h5 13...c4 14.e5 £b6 XIIIIIIIIY 15.exf6 £xf6 16.¦g3 ¥e6 17.¤f4 cxd3 9r+lwqkvl-tr0 18.£xd3 with advantage to White may 9zppzpp+pzpp0 have been better. 9-+-+-sn-+0 14.£h6 White decides to sacrifice the 9+-+-zp-+-0 exchange but 14.¥b5+ ¥d7 15.¥xd7+ 9-+L+P+-+0 £xd7 16.¦g1 is also good. 9+-sN-+P+-0 14...¤xg7 15.£xg7 ¦f8 16.exd5 White has two pawns for the exchange and a strong 9PzPPzP-zP-zP0 attack. 9tR-vLQmK-+R0 xiiiiiiiiy 16...¥f6 17.£xh7 ¦h8 18.£e4+ ¢f8 This double edged capture poses different On 18...£e7 19.¥e3 £xe4 20.fxe4 ¥xb2 problems for Black than £xf3 and leads to 21.¦b1 ¥e5 22.¥xc5 a5 23.f4 with a sharp struggle. strong play for White in the ending.

After 6. £xf3 ¥c5 7.d3 White has a slight edge. 19.¥e3 £d6 20.£c4 ¥e7 21.¤g3 White aims for e4 when the pawn on c5 will fall. 6...¥e7 Best is 6...¥c5 7.¦g1 0–0 8.d3 ¦e8 9.¥h6 g6 10.£d2 c6 with an edge for Black. 21...¦h4 22.f4

7.¦g1 After 7.d4 d6 is playable; White Very strong was 22.¤e4 £xh2 23.d6 plays this logical attack down the g-file. ¥xd6 24.£d5 and if 24...£g1+ 25.¢e2 £xa1 26.£xd6+ Kg7 27.£f6+ 7...c6 8.d4 8.¦xg7 d5 9.exd5 cxd5 10.¥b3 leads to mate eg 27...¢g8 28.£g5+ ¢f8 11.¦g3 d4 with a slight edge for White ¢h8 29.£xh4+ ¢g7 30.£h6+ ¢g8 is also playable. 31.¤f6#

8...exd4 9.£xd4 b5 10.¥d3 b4 11.¤e2 22...¥g4 23.¤e4 £h6 24.f5 £h8 25.d6 11.¤a4 £a5 12.b3 is also good for White. ¥d8 26.£xc5 White breaks into the Black position; if necessary he can play ¢d2 to 11...c5 12.£e3 get his rook into play. XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9r+lwqk+-tr0 9r+-vl-mk-wq0 9zp-+pvlpzpp0 9zp-+-+p+-0 9-+-+-sn-+0 9-+-zP-+-+0 9+-zp-+-+-0 9+-wQ-+P+-0 9-zp-+P+-+0 9-zp-+N+ltr0 9+-+LwQP+-0 9+-+LvL-+-0 9PzPP+NzP-zP0 9PzPP+-zP-zP0 9tR-vL-mK-tR-0 9tR-+-mK-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy

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May 2017

26...¥b6 12...b5 13.f4 The critical position; after 13.¤d5 ¥xd5 14.exd5 Black is equal. After 26...£xb2 27.¥d4 ¥b6 28.¥xb2 ¥xc5 29.¤xc5 wins. 13...¤b6 Also good is 13...¦c8 14.a3 £b8.

27.£c6 ¦d8 28.¥xb6 axb6 29.£xb6 14.fxe5 dxe5 15.¥xb6 £xb6 16.¤d5 ¢g7 Now White is able to expose the ¥xd5 17.exd5 ¦d8 Black King further. Best was 17...¤e4 18.£g2 ¤f2 19.d6 ¦d8 30.f6+ ¢g6 31.£xb4 31.£e3 is strong eg 20.¦d2 ¤xh1 21.dxe7 ¦xd2 22.¤xd2 ¤f2 31...£h6 32.¤g3+ ¢xf6 33.£d4+ ¢e6 23.£a8+ ¢xe7 24.£xh8 £e3 regains the 34.¥c4+ ¢d7 35.¥b5+ ¢e6 36.f4 with material with a slight edge for Black. a decisive attack. 18.¥g2 Now White is better because of the 31...¥f5 32.0–0–0 £h6+ 33.¢b1 £f4 weakness of the Black kingside. 34.£b6 ¦d7 35.¤c5 ¥xd3 36.¤xd3 £xf6 37.f4 The threat of ¤e5+ forces 18...0–0 19.¤a5 ¥d6 20.¤c6 ¦de8 Black to retreat. 21.¦hf1 ¤g4 22.¦de1 f5 XIIIIIIIIY 37...¢h7 38.¤e5 ¦d8 39.¤xf7 ¦f8 9-+-+rtrk+0 40.¤g5+ ¢h8 41.£e3 1–0 9+-+-+-zp-0 9pwqNvl-+-+0 9+p+Pzpp+p0 Jack Rudd – Tiger Hillarp Persson 9-+-+-+n+0 Polar Capital Jersey Open St Clement Bay JCI (2.1) 9+-+-+-zP-0 1.e4 c5 2.¤f3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 9PzPPwQ-+LzP0 5.¤c3 a6 6.¥e3 9+K+-tRR+-0 XIIIIIIIIY xiiiiiiiiy 9rsnlwqkvl-tr0 Not 22...¤xh2 when 23.¦h1 is winning. 9+p+-zppzpp0 23.£g5 This should win but it is a 9p+-zp-sn-+0 complicated struggle and time pressure 9+-+-+-+-0 affected the play. 9-+-sNP+-+0 9+-sN-vL-+-0 9PzPP+-zPPzP0 9tR-+QmKL+R0 xiiiiiiiiy 6...e5 7.¤b3 ¥e6 8.f3 h5 Preventing g4 but leaving the kingside weak; later on this pawn becomes a weakness.

9.£d2 ¤bd7 10.0–0–0 ¥e7 11.¢b1 £c7 12.g3 White prepares f4 instead of g4. Jersey Playing Hall

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 289 05/137 How Mike Basman 23...e4 24.£xh5 Very good was 24.£g6 th st ¥c5 (24...£c5 25.¦xf5 ¦xf5 26.£xe8+ (who on 16 March celebrated his 71 birthday!) ¦f8 27.£xe4) when after 25.¦xf5 ¦xf5 won the 26.£xe8+ ¦f8 27.£e6+ Kh8 28.¥xe4 ¤f6 29.¥g6 Black is lost. 2016 London under

24...¤e3 25.¥h3 ¤xf1 26.¦xf1 £e3 18 Championship 27.¥xf5 £h6 XIIIIIIIIY Chess 9-+-+rtrk+0 9+-+-+-zp-0 time 9p+Nvl-+-wq0 9+p+P+L+Q0 traveller 9-+-+p+-+0 by Stephen Lowe and Mike Basman 9+-+-+-zP-0 Mike Basman is one of the UKʼs best 9PzPP+-+-zP0 known chess players and became an 9+K+-+R+-0 International Master in 1980. A prolific xiiiiiiiiy writer, he has made many contributions to Black has defended well. White still has an chess opening theory and practice, and is edge with the monster knight on c6. particularly well known for choosing offbeat or rarely played openings, including the St. 28.£g4 e3 29.¤d4 g6 30.¦e1 £h5 Georgeʼs Defence (1.e4 a6!? with which 31.¥e6+ Kh8 32.£e4 ¦f2 33.£xe3 English Tony Miles famously defeated the then World Champion Anatoly 33.a3 ¦xh2 (33...¦ef8 34.¦xe3 ¦xh2 Karpov in 1980), the Grob (1.g4), and also 35.Ka2) 34.g4 £h6 35.¤f3 is very strong. The Creepy Crawly which goes 1.a3, then h3 followed by a quick c4 for White. He 33...¦ef8 34.a3 £xh2 35.Ka2 Kh7 tied for first place in the 1973 British Chess 36.¥g4 36.£c3 £xg3 37.¦e3 is winning. Championship but lost the play-off against Bill Hartston. In 1975 when England 36...£xg3 37.¦h1+ contested a match over ten boards against 1–0 France, Mike played board one ahead of future super Grandmasters John Nunn and John Speelman. He is rightly famous for

The holiday tournament (under Elo 1900) creating the UK Chess Challenge, since was won by Alan Hall with 7/9. 1996 a UK-wide tournament for juniors of all standards and ages played over four The UBS Jersey Open Blitz was won by stages throughout the school year, which Dominic Klingher with 8/9, followed by has encouraged and brought to prominence Jon Speelman with 7.5/9. some of the UKʼs best players. Given Mikeʼs long and distinguished chess career, how is it that he recently won the London Under 18 Championship, held in Harrow from the 28th – 30th December 2016, thus adding to the junior titles he had captured earlier – U14 (1959) and U16 (1961)?

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Here is the last round game by the intrepid age-defying Mike Basman.

M. Basman - S. Warman

Orang-utang Opening

(Notes by Mike Basman)

1.b4 d5 2.¥b2 ¤f6 3.e3 ¥f5 4.f4 e6 5.a3 c5 XIIIIIIIIY 9rsn-wqkvl-tr0 The answer is simple. The U18/U21 London 9zpp+-+pzpp0 Championships were run jointly as a FIDE rated 6-round event, and were thus open 9-+-+psn-+0 to all players. The entry form stated that 9+-zpp+l+-0 ʻan U18 clear winner in this event would hold both titles and trophiesʼ. Mike was 9-zP-+-zP-+0 the clear winner of the tournament but, due 9zP-+-zP-+-0 to the technicality of his not being under 9-vLPzP-+PzP0 eighteen years of age, he could not become Champion. Conor Murphy was not the 9tRN+QmKLsNR0 clear winner but, being under 18, complied xiiiiiiiiy with the age rule and thereby gained the Black is up for the fight, immediately title London U18 Champion. So, many contesting Whiteʼs early domination of the congratulations from BCM to Conor and dark squares. also of course to Mike. 6.¤f3!? As regards the tournament itself, after winning his first round game and also in A pawn sacrifice to accelerate development. round 2 (after narrowly avoiding defeat), Mike was held to a draw in round 3 by 6...cxb4 7.¥b5+ ¤c6 8.¤e5 £b6 9.£e2 Conor Murphy and was bamboozled to ¥xc2 a draw by Daniel Gallagher in round 4. In rounds 5 and 6, however, he won both XIIIIIIIIY games and so lifted himself clear of the 9r+-+kvl-tr0 field finishing with a score of 5 out of 6. 9zpp+-+pzpp0 Unfortunately, despite being born and living 9-wqn+psn-+0 in the London area and enjoying supremely 9+L+psN-+-0 youthful looks, Mike was not awarded the title which went to the somewhat younger Conor 9-zp-+-zP-+0 Murphy (who will go on to study mathematics 9zP-+-zP-+-0 at Christchurch College in Cambridge this 9-vLlzPQ+PzP0 year). Mike, so you see - age catches up with all of us in the end! Nonetheless, great 9tRN+-mK-+R0 performances by both Mike and Conor. xiiiiiiiiy

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A risky indulgence losing time and ignoring has no good squares. his development. Black gorges himself on another pawn, but inadvertently opens the 14...£c7 15.¦axb1 £e7! c file which leads to his demise. The simple 9…¥e7 or 9…bxa3 are better. Desperately trying to cause trouble. If White now meekly retreats with 16 Ba4, 10. 0–0! a6? Black at least has two passed pawns on the queenside for his piece. Another overly optimistic move. Black does not want to move his kingʼs bishop 16.¤d3! (although he needs to in order to castle) because then, after white plays axb4, he This ensures that the black queenside will have to move it again. But this attempt pawns will not remain intact. is doomed to failure, as white now rapidly develops his queenʼs rook. 10…¦c8 is 16…¦fc8! better. Another resourceful defence in a dying 11. axb4! position.

Now black cannot capture at b5, because of 17.¤xb4 a5! the pin along the “a” file. XIIIIIIIIY 11. … ¥xb4 12.¦c1 ! 9r+r+-+k+0 9+p+-wqpzpp0 It is hard for Black to avoid losing a piece now. 9-+L+psn-+0 9zp-+p+-+-0 12. … 0–0 13.¥xc6 ¥xb1 14.¥d4! 9-sN-vL-zP-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+-+-zP-+-0 9r+-+-trk+0 9-+-zPQ+PzP0 9+p+-+pzpp0 9+RtR-+-mK-0 9pwqL+psn-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9+-+psN-+-0 White is going to be a piece up here whatever happens. What is the most incisive 9-vl-vL-zP-+0 way to realise his advantage? 9+-+-zP-+-0 9-+-zPQ+PzP0 Answer below. 9tRltR-+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy Very youthful play by Mike Basman to seal

This attack is devastating. The black queen his victory in the event!

d7 1–0 Black resigns in a hopeless position. hopeless a in resigns Black 1–0 d7 25. f8 g4+ 24. b2 £ ¢ £ ¦

xd5 xd5 23. b8 f2 22. xc1+ xb7 21. etc.) c3 22. f5 21 or mates; xf7+ 23. xc6 … ¥ ¦ ¢ ¦ ¥ ¦ £ £

xc6 xc6 22. xc6 h5 21. e6 (20 xb7 xb7! 20. exd5 xd5! 19. mates) c8+ 22. … ¦ ¦ £ £ £ ¦ ¤ ¦

xb7 xb7 a6! 21. b8 xc1 20. xc1+ xb7 19. xf6 (18 gxf6 xf6! 18. Answer: … ¦ ¤ ¦ ¦ ¦ ¥ £ ¥

292 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE Obituary May 2017 Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier October 8, 1929 - April 5, 2017

“I would love to be remembered because of all the people I ” encouraged to play chess USChess Source: By Pete Tamburro Grandmaster Arthur Bisguier has passed 1957, it marked a change in Bisguier’s (and away on 5 April 2017, at age 87. Dubbed Evans’ and Byrnes’) fortunes in chess. He the Dean of American Chess, he was also had a wife, children and a profession. U.S. champion in 1954 and won three US His international play diminished greatly, but his Opens outright and tied for first in two. He participation in American Swiss tournaments, had wins over Spassky, Geller, Keres, frequent simultaneous exhibitions and his Najdorf, Taimanov, Portisch, Benko, genial demeanor made him wildly popular Larsen, Reshevsky (he lost a match +2-4- throughout the country. He was also popular 4 to Reshevsky in 1957) and Fischer. His and friendly with the Soviet stars, especially other major tournament victories were firsts in the Stevenson Memorial Tournament at Bisguier was part of Southsea 1950 (ahead of Tartakower [on tie- breaks] and Golombek, Penrose, L. Schmid, the “Pre-Fischer” group Bogoljubov), Vienna 1952-53 and Lone that defined American Pine, 1973 (ahead of Browne and Szabo). chess from 1945-1957… He was part of the “Pre-Fischer” group that defined American chess from 1945-1957. He had wins over That group’s “coming out party” was the U.S. Spassky, Geller, Keres, Open Championship in Pittsburgh in 1946. In Najdorf, Taimanov, the preliminary Swiss, Bisguier (age 16) was 7th, Donald Byrne (age 16) was 5th, Robert Portisch, Benko, Byrne (age 18) was 13th and Larry Evans Larsen, Reshevsky (he (age 14) was 20th. lost a match +2-4-4 to Bisguier’s performance ratings were often over 2600 during the 1950s. When Fischer Reshevsky in 1957) and beat him on tie-breaks at the U.S.Open in Fischer

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GREAT WINS Bronstein, who was a great friend. Bisguier, OF ARTHUR in his second The Art of Bisguier book relates BERNARD that even at the height of the Cold War even 3BISGUIER the KGB apparently just got used to Bisguier in friendly conversation with everyone. The game against Spassky is a classic: Although his personality never left him, his play changed: “My originality was gone, but I Boris V – Arthur Bernard just played chess like a butcher [to win].” He Spassky Bisguier used his GM technique to win because the Gothenburg Interzonal Gothenburg (12), hard work that had become necessary in a new 02.09.1955 age of chess rankled him. Modern chess, he said in 1994, was “screwed up by computers. 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥b5 f5 4.¤c3 ¤f6 Preparation now is simply too much work. I 5.£ e2 ¤d4 6.¤xd4 exd4 7.e5 ¤g4 8.h3 would not have been a professional chess ¤h6 9.¤d1 £ e7 10.c3 c6 11.¥d3 dxc3 player today. There is all kinds of money, but 12.dxc3 ¤f7 13.¥xf5 £xe5 14.¤e3 ¥c5 too many people, and now the Russians are 15.0–0 d5 16.£d3 ¥xf5 17.¤xf5 0–0 all over the world, which makes it tougher.” 18.¥e3 ¥xe3 19.¤xe3 ¦ae8 20.¦ae1 In the outpouring of sentiment in the U.S., ¤g5 21.¤c2 £f4 22.£d4 ¦e4 23.¦xe4 Facebook pages contained wonderful £xe4 24.£xe4 ¤xe4 25.f3 ¤c5 26.¤d4 personal reminiscences of the man as well ¦e8 27.¦b1 ¤a4 28.¢f2 ¢f7 29.f4 ¦e4 as the chess player. However, an old quote 30.¢f3 g6 31.g3 ¢e7 32.¤c2 b5 33.¤b4 from editor and organizer Kenneth Harkness ¢d6 34.¤d3 a5 35.h4 c5 36.a3 ¦e7 described him best: “As friendly as a puppy, 37.¤e5 ¦b7 38.¢e3 c4 39.¢d4 ¤c5 40.h5 Art Bisguier doesn’t have an enemy in the gxh5 41.¦h1 ¤e6+ 42.¢e3 ¤g7 43.g4 b4 world. If he cannot say something nice about 44.axb4 axb4 45.gxh5 bxc3 46.bxc3 ¤f5+ you, Art doesn’t say anything. He bubbles 47.¢f3 ¦b3 48.¦c1 ¤d4+ 49.¢g4 ¤e2 over with enthusiasm for chess and chess 50.¦a1 ¦xc3 51.¦a6+ ¢c5 52.¦a5+ ¢d6 players. It is no effort for Art to win friends and 53.¦a6+ ¢c7 54.¦a5 ¦g3+ 55.¢f5 c3 influence people. It is a natural gift.” 56.¦xd5 c2 57.¦c5+ ¢d6 58.¦xc2 ¤d4+ When asked what he thought his place 59.¢f6 ¤xc2 60.¤f7+ ¢d5 61.¤ g5 ¦g4 in chess should be, he said, “I made my 62.¤xh7 ¦xf4+ 63.¢g5 ¢e5 64.h6 ¤ d4 own peace with chess. I would love to be 65.¢g6 ¤ e6 66.¤ g5 ¦g4 67.h7 ¦xg5+ remembered because of all the people I 68.¢h6 ¢f5! encouraged to play chess.” 0–1

Organizer Kenneth The final position is worth a diagram: “ Harkness: As friendly XIIIIIIIIY as a puppy, Art Bisguier doesn’t have an enemy 9-+-+-+-+0 in the world. If he 9+-+-+-+P0 cannot say something 9-+-+n+-mK0 nice about you, Art 9+-+-+ktr-0 doesn’t say anything... 9-+-+-+-+0 It is no effort for Art 9+-+-+-+-0 to win friends and 9-+-+-+-+0 influence people. It is a 9+-+-+-+-0 natural gift.” xiiiiiiiiy

294 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017

Arthur Bernard Bisguier – Mijo Udovcic ¤c6 9.¤c2 ¥d7 10.0–0 ¦c8 11.¥e3 ¤a5 12.b3 a6 13.e5 dxe5 14.fxe5 ¤e8 15.¤d5 Zagreb Zagreb (3), 1955 ¦c6 16.¤d4 ¦c8 17.¤c2 ¦c6 18.¤cb4 ¦e6 19.¥g4 ¦xe5 20.¥b6 £c8 21.¥xd7 1.e4 c5 2.¤e2 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.¤xd4 ¤f6 £xd7 22.¥xa5 e6 23.¤d3 ¦h5 24.¤3f4 5.¤c3 a6 6.¥e2 e5 7.¤b3 ¥e7 8.0–0 0–0 ¦f5 25.¥b4 exd5 26.¥xf8 ¥xa1 27.£xa1 9.¥e3 ¤bd7 10.f3 b5 11.a4 b4 12.¤d5 ¢xf8 28.£h8+ ¢e7 29.¦e1+ ¢d8 ¤xd5 13.£xd5 ¦b8 14.¦fd1 ¥b7 15.£a5 30.¤xd5 £c6 31.£f8 £d7 32.¦d1 ¦f6 £c8 16.£xb4 £xc2 17.¥d3 £c7 18.¦ac1 33.£xe8+ £d8 19.£d2 ¥a8 20.£c3 ¤b6 21.a5 1–0 ¤a4 22.£c2 ¥g5 23.¥xg5 £xg5 24.¥c4 £e3+ 25.¢h1 ¦fc8 26.¦xd6 ¤xb2 Bisguier’s only win over Fischer: 27.£xb2 ¦xc4 28.¦cd1 f6 29.¦6d3 £g5 30.¦d8+ ¦xd8 31.¦xd8+ ¢f7 32.¦xa8 XIIIIIIIIY £e3 33.h3 ¦b4 34.£d2 ¦xb3 35.£xe3 9-+-mknwQ-+0 ¦xe3 36.¦a7+ ¢g6 37.¦xa6 ¦a3 38.¦a7 h5 39.h4 ¦a1+ 40.¢h2 ¢h7 41.a6 ¢g6 9+p+q+p+p0 42.¢g3 ¦a2 43.¦a8 ¢h7 44.¢h2 ¦a1 9p+-+-trp+0 45.g4 hxg4 46.fxg4 ¦a4 47.a7 ¦a2+ 48.¢g3 ¦a3+ 49.¢f2 ¦a2+ 50.¢e3 9+-+N+-+-0 ¦a3+ 51.¢d2 ¢g6 52.h5+ ¢g5 53.h6 9-+P+-+-+0 ¢g6 54.hxg7 ¢xg7 55.¢c2 ¦a2+ 56.¢b3 9+P+-+-+-0 ¦a1 57.¢b4 ¦a2 58.¢b5 ¦b2+ 59.¢c6 ¦a2 60.¢d6 ¦a6+ 61.¢e7 ¦a5 62.¢e6 9P+-+-+PzP0 ¦a3 63.g5 fxg5 64.¢f5 ¦f3+ 65.¢xg5 9+-+R+-mK-0 ¦f7 66.¦g8+ xiiiiiiiiy 1–0 After Black’s 32nd move. A rook and pawn endgame masterpiece: XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-+-+-zpp0 9R+-+-zpk+0 9zP-+-zp-+-0 9-+-+P+-+0 9tr-+-+P+P0 9-+-+-+P+0 9+-+-+-+K0 xiiiiiiiiy After Black’s 37th move.

Arthur Bernard Bisguier – Robert J Fischer New York Rosenwald New York, 1956

1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 g6 3.¤c3 ¥g7 4.e4 d6 Bisguier on the 1973 & Review 5.f4 0–0 6.¤f3 c5 7.¥e2 cxd4 8.¤xd4 cover, Source: USChess

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 295 05/137 Book review & Puzzle Winning with the Slow (but Venomous!) Italian

The set-up is easy to learn and understand, and theoretical novelties are much less important than the sound principles it is based on, such as the latent pawn push d3-d4 or the transfer of the b1 knight over to the kingside and into the attack.

The Slow Italian may look innocent, but is actually full of venom, because White has many ways to generate aggressive play by making natural looking moves with his pieces. An easy-to-learn chess opening that may look innocent, but is actually full of venom! The authors have assembled a solid weapon that every amateur chess player will delight in One of the best and most popular ways playing. They have also included a wealth of to meet White’s first move 1.e4 remains exercises to test your understanding of both the the tried and tested 1…e5. After this move strategy and tactics inherent in this opening. many games steer for the . Karsten Müller is a mathematician and a chess The Ruy is a perfectly fine choice for Grandmaster from Hamburg. He is a prolific White, but one that requires you to study writer whose books include the bestselling countless different setups and follow the Bobby Fischer: Career and Complete Games continuously evolving theory in that opening. and The Modern Scandinavian. Georgios Souleidis is an International Master The authors present an alternative that is from Germany who works as a chess ideal for the average club player: a complete trainer and journalist. He has played the repertoire for White in the Italian Opening. Slow Italian with good results himself.

This modern version of the age-old ‘Giuoco From the foreword by Anish Giri: Piano’, 1.e4 e5 2.¤f3 ¤c6 3.¥c4 ¥c5, “One easy, yet prideful way out of the followed by c2-c3 and d2-d3 (rather than the opening carousel, or madhouse if you wish, more traditional open game reached by d2- is the Italian Game ... The basic principles, d4), is not only popular amongst club players, the plans and the concepts as well as the but is also regularly adopted by an increasing model games offered in this book will help number of strong Grandmasters, including many ambitious chess lovers come closer to even the very best, such as Magnus Carlsen understanding the subtleties of this quiet yet and Anish Giri. fascinating opening.” An Easy-to-Grasp Chess Opening for White by Karsten Müller, Georgios Souleidis Softback. 320 pages. New in Chess. £22.95.

296 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 Book review & Puzzle XIIIIIIIIY 9-tr-+-+k+0 Because of the specific pawn formations repeatedly arising 9+pzpq+pzp-0 from the Slow Italian, familiar tactics appear again and 9p+n+rsn-zp0 again. Here are seven exercises from the many given in 9+-+NzpN+-0 the book. In each case it is White to play and if you can 9-+-zpP+-+0 solve them then this opening may be just the right choice 9+-zPP+-+P0 for you! 9PzP-+QzPP+0 The answers are given on page 319 9+-+RtR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 1) Ivan Saric – Alexander Toth Balatonlelle 2006

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-tr-mk0 9r+-sn-tr-mk0 9r+-+-trk+0 9+pzpq+pzpp0 9+pzp-wql+p0 9+pzpq+pzpp0 9-+-zpnsn-+0 9p+-+-zpp+0 9p+n+-sn-+0 9zp-vl-zpN+-0 9zP-sNnzp-+-0 9zP-vl-zp-sN-0 9P+-+P+-+0 9-zPL+-+-sN0 9-+L+P+-+0 9+LzPP+Q+P0 9+-zPPzP-wQ-0 9+QzP-+-+P0 9-zP-+-zPP+0 9-+-+-+PzP0 9-zP-+-zPP+0 9tR-vL-+RmK-0 9tR-+-+RmK-0 9tR-vL-tR-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy 2) George Ardelean – Ilie 3) Levente Vajda – Ralph 4) Evgeny Janev – Diana Muller Soares Baile 2012 Pardubice 2014 Lisbon 2001

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-trk+0 9r+-+r+k+0 9r+-wq-+-mk0 9+pzpq+pzp-0 9vlpzp-+pzpp0 9+pzp-trpzp-0 9p+nzp-sn-zp0 9p+-zplwqn+0 9psnn+lsN-zp0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-zp-+-0 9-+LzPP+-sN0 9-+-zPPsn-+0 9-+-+-+-sN0 9+-zP-zP-+-0 9+-+-vLNsNP0 9+LzPPzP-wQ-0 9PzP-+-+PzP0 9PzPL+-zPP+0 9PzP-+-+PzP0 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 9tR-+QtR-mK-0 9tR-+-+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy 5) Ladislav Kotan – Andrej 6) Salome Melia – Turkan 7) Dimitar Pelitov – Mitko Veres Mamedyarova Garkov Tatry 2003 Marmaia 2016 Primorsko 1987

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 297 05/137 Book Review The Russian school of positional chess

Russia boasts a rich tradition in chess education, and its chess teachers and trainers have long had the reputation of being quite simply the best in the world.

Thus it is particularly valuable to see The Complete Manual of Positional Chess, being made available to the wider chess public. This tutor was originally created specifically for chess teachers at the DYSS, the special sports school for young talents in Russia. The quality of this work is assured by the calibre of its authors. Konstantin Sakaev is a Grandmaster and a former Russian Champion. He won Olympiad gold in 1998 and 2000 with the Russian team and has assisted World Champion Vladimir Kramnik Amongst the wide variety of technical as his second. Konstantin Landa is a Russian topics covered are: Grandmaster and a FIDE Senior Trainer. ▪ An advantage in development ▪ The centre and its significance The two authors present a complete set of ▪ Coordination and piece activity instructions and tips for both trainers and ▪ Developing the initiative self-improvers. By following the lessons ▪ Prophylaxis systematically you will learn not only how ▪ Limiting the opponent’s counterplay to enhance your fundamental knowledge ▪ Regrouping one’s forces and technical skills, but also how to ▪ Space advantage work on your physical and psychological ▪ Exchanging and simplification conditioning. ▪ Weak squares ▪ Open files You are handed basic and advanced tools ▪ Secure points, outposts to improve in a wide array of areas such ▪ Play on the wing as: ▪ Methods of defence, etc. etc. ▪ clean calculation and decision-making in the middlegame Here is an extract from the chapter entitled ▪ tackling your fear of disturbing the ‘Good and bad bishops’: material balance, and, last but not least: “A ‘bad’ bishop is one that is obstructed by ▪ how to restrict the role the chess its own or the opponent’s pawns, and that computer plays in your life. cannot be exchanged off for an equivalent enemy piece. A ‘good’ bishop, by contrast, Indeed when you have completed the usually controls a lot of squares at once or entire 320 page course you should be able can attack the enemy’s weaknesses. to assess accurately the majority of chess Everyone knows the rule that operates in positions with which you are confronted. the majority of cases: “Do not put pawns

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on the same colour as your bishop!” In more important factor is that I didn’t know my observation, among young players, two of Petrosian’s games. In Donner – breaking this rule is the most common Petrosian, Santa Monica 1966, the diagram positional mistake. It always seems to them position had also appeared on the board that, if they put their pawns on the same after a slightly different order of moves, colour squares as their bishop, these pawns That game had continued as follows: 13.g4 will be more securely protected. Of course, e4 14.¤f2 ¥xc3! 15.bxc3! fxg4, and Black there are exceptions, when a so-called ‘bad’ obtained a strategic advantage. As said, bishop fulfils the function of defending its the move order in the Santa Monica game own pawns, but such cases are very rare...” was different. Donner had exchanged on f5 Later in this same chapter, by way of an one move earlier, so Black could, instead illustrative example, the authors annotate of developing his queen to e7, immediately the following game. Coincidentally, this have played 12...e4, followed by 13...¥xc3. encounter also appears in Timman’s Titans Why hadn’t Petrosian done this? For an so we have taken the opportunity to add the answer to this question, his comment in the Dutch grandmaster’s comments as well. It tournament book is a clue: makes very interesting reading! ‘To my knowledge a similar idea was Jan Timman – Mikhail Tal first tried in my game with Bronstein in Tallinn 1973 the Candidates Tournament in 1956. The object of the move is to lessen the sphere of activity of White’s QB, limited by the 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 g6 4.¤c3 ¥g7 5.e4 pawns on c3 and f4.’ d6 6.¤f3 0–0 7.¥e2 e5 8.0–0 ¤e8 9.¤e1 ¤d7 10.¤d3 f5 11.f4 £e7 12.exf5 gxf5 Aha, he had played it before. In Bronstein XIIIIIIIIY – Petrosian, Leeuwarden 1956 (two rounds of this Candidates Tournament were played 9r+l+ntrk+0 not in Amsterdam, but in Leeuwarden), the 9zpp+nwq-vlp0 following position arose in the middlegame: 9-+-zp-+-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+-zpPzpp+-0 9r+lwq-trk+0 9-+P+-zP-+0 9zppsnn+-vl-0 9+-sNN+-+-0 9-+-zp-+-zp0 9PzP-+L+PzP0 9+-zpP+p+-0 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0 9-+P+pzP-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9zP-sN-vL-+N0 Timman: This position originates from a mix of the Benoni and King’s Indian 9-zP-+L+PzP0 Defences. White has not played in the most 9tR-+QtR-mK-0 accurate way, and it is questionable whether xiiiiiiiiy he can hope for an opening advantage. Petrosian didn’t hesitate and presented his opponent with the bishop pair: 17...¥xc3!. 13.¢h1 Timman: ‘Clearly White is uncertain how The exclamation mark is from Euwe in to proceed’, Cafferty remarks in Tal’s 100 Best Games. the tournament book. He writes: ‘In this He is right, but an even way, Black once and for all prevents his

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 299 05/137 Book Review opponent from carrying through an attack active plan. White, meanwhile, has a long- against the queenside with b2-b4. It is winded but perfectly realisable plan: he remarkable, by the way, that the absence of will exchange dark-squared bishops down the generally very important king’s bishop the long diagonal, put his knight on e3, is not felt here.’ The further course of the and prepare the break g2-g4. The exchange game is instructive; with accurate play by on c3 puts the maximum difficulties in both sides, neither of the two will be able to the way of this plan, because the pawn on make any progress. c3 closes the long diagonal, and prevents White getting his bishop to this line. In Santa Monica, Petrosian had a bad start [We are also reminded of the line in the with 1½ points out of 4 games. He was Four Pawns Attack which runs 1.d4 ¤f6 probably hoping for a win against Donner, 2.c4 g6 3.¤c3 ¥g7 4.e4 d6 5.f4 0–0 6.¥e2 and he didn’t want the game to peter out to c5 7.d5 e6 8.¤f3 exd5 9.exd5 ¤h5!? 10.0– a draw, as had happened against Bronstein. 0 ¥xc3!? 11.bxc3 f5 12.¤g5 ¤g7 13.¥f3 ¤d7 14.¦e1 ¤f6 which, for example, led 13...e4 14.¤f2 to equality in Forintos – Gligoric, Vidmar Memorial 1969 -ed.] [At this point we also pick up the notes to this game from The Complete Manual of 15.bxc3 ¤df6 16.¥e3 ¢h8 17.h3? Positional Chess -ed.] Timman: A bad move, which weakens XIIIIIIIIY the g3-square. I should have followed 9r+l+ntrk+0 Bronstein’s plan here with, for example, 9zpp+nwq-vlp0 17.£d2, followed by 18.¦g1 and 19.g3. Sakaev/Landa: In this instance 9-+-zp-+-+0 this move is just an unnecessary 9+-zpP+p+-0 weakening of the kingside. More solid is 17.£d2 ¦g8 18.a4 ¥d7 19.a5 ¦d8 9-+P+pzP-+0 20.¦fb1 ¥c8 with rough equality. 9+-sN-+-+-0 9PzP-+LsNPzP0 17...¦g8 18.£d2 18.¦g1 ¤g4 9tR-vLQ+R+K0 18...¤g7 xiiiiiiiiy Sakaev/Landa: The black bishop on g7 XIIIIIIIIY looks like the strongest piece on the 9r+l+-+rmk0 board, which makes the decision taken 9zpp+-wq-snp0 by Black all the more paradoxical. 9-+-zp-sn-+0 14...¥xc3!? 9+-zpP+p+-0 Timman: Apparently, Tal is not afraid that 9-+P+pzP-+0 the game will peter out to a draw. There 9+-zP-vL-+P0 can be no doubt that he knew both of 9P+-wQLsNP+0 Petrosian’s games. Sakaev/Landa: The basis of this strategic 9tR-+-+R+K0 idea, which has become a classic, is as xiiiiiiiiy follows: apart from his dark-squared bishop, 19.¤d1 Black has no other active pieces, nor any

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Timman: I wanted to bring the knight over to more difficult for Black to carry out the e3, but this plan is much too time-consuming. plan used in the game: 23.a4 £f6 24.a5 Sakaev/Landa: White should have £h6 25.¦a2 ¤g3+ (25...¦g4 26.¢h2 prevented the immediate appearance of ¤xf4 27.£e3 ¦f6 28.¥g3 is unclear) the knight on h5: 19.£d1 ¥d7 20.¦b1 b6 26.¥xg3 ¦xg3 and only now 27.¤e3 21.¦g1 ¦af8 22.g3 ¥e8 23.¦g2 with a ¦fg8 28.¦b2 reasonable position. 23...£f6 24.¢h2 £h6 19...¤gh5 Sakaev/Landa: The pawn on f4 is hanging, Timman: The passive knight has turned into and White does not manage to defend his a fierce attacker. kingside. Sakaev/Landa: Now the weakening of g3 starts to tell. 25.g3 ¦f6 26.¦g1 20.¥xh5 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+rmk0 Timman: Relatively best, since after 20. ¥f2 £g7 Black’s pressure would become 9zpp+l+-+p0 too strong. 9-+-zp-tr-wq0 9+-zpP+p+n0 20...¤xh5 21.¥f2 ¥d7 22.¥e1 ¦af8 9-+P+pzP-+0 XIIIIIIIIY 9+-zP-sN-zPP0 9-+-+-trrmk0 9P+-wQ-+-mK0 9zpp+lwq-+p0 9tR-+-vL-tR-0 9-+-zp-+-+0 xiiiiiiiiy 9+-zpP+p+n0 26...¦fg6! 9-+P+pzP-+0 Sakaev/Landa: Another possibility was 9+-zP-+-+P0 the immediate 26...¤xf4 27.gxf4 £xf4+ 9P+-wQ-+P+0 28.¥g3 £h6 29.¥f2 f4 30.¦xg8+ ¢xg8 31.¦g1+ ¢f8 32.¤g4 ¥xg4 33.¦xg4 e3 9tR-+NvLR+K0 with a decisive advantage. xiiiiiiiiy 23.¤e3 27.¦g2 ¤xf4!

Timman: This is consistent, but the knight Timman: Not one of the most difficult has no business here, especially because the sacrifices in Tal’s career. f-pawn is no longer solidly protected. More Sakaev/Landa: Black wins with a direct tenacious was 23.a4, to bring the rook to a2 attack. for the defence. Sakaev/Landa: White should have kept the 28.gxf4 £xf4+ 29.¢g1 £f3 30.£f2 £xh3 knight on d1. Then, it would have been 31.¦b1 f4 32.¦b2 f3 White resigned. The Complete Manual of Positional Chess The Russian Chess School Volume 2 – Opening and Middlegame by Konstantin Sakaev, Konstantin Landa Softback. 320 pages. New in Chess. £22.45.

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 301 05/137 QUOTES AND QUERIES Curt von Bardeleben (4 March 1861 in Berlin – 31 January 1924 in Berlin) A man known for the brilliancy of a lost game by Alan Smith 6086 Curt von Bardeleben, a journalist and member of the German nobility, had a long and distinguished chess career, but is largely remembered for a game he lost, the brilliancy Steinitz - von Bardeleben Hastings 1895.

He launched his career by winning the Hauppturnier at Berlin 1881 and confirmed Wikipedia Source: Bardeleben, Curt von his place in the ranks of the masters by In 1888 he recorded two further successes: winning first prize at the Vizayanagaram 3rd equal at Bradford behind Gunsberg and tournament held in London in 1883. Mackenzie, then first equal at Leipzig tied with Riemann, but ahead of Tarrasch who Gunsberg was impressed by the winner who was a distant seventh. Around this time he “played in the evenings only, and thoroughly could be regarded as the strongest German devoted himself, from beginning to end, to the player, but he was soon overtaken by two task before him in a manner which will serve rising stars. as a lesson to some of his less steady fellow competitors”. Knowledge 15th June 1883. His fourth equal at Breslau 1889 was about a par performance, but Tarrasch excelled, The step up to master level did not prove winning first prize by a point and a half too much of a hurdle and he scored a margin, without losing a game. further success at Nuremburg 1883 where he won 8 games on the way to fifth place. Lasker won the Hauppturnier. Soon afterwards he played a short match with He completed his law studies over the next Lasker, which saw the new star defeat four years. When he returned his good form Bardeleben +2 =1 -1. continued. Von Bardeleben scored +8 =10 -2 at Frankfurt 1887, winning fourth prize The next Deutsches Schachbundes congress behind Captain Mackenzie, Blackburne and was held at Dresden in 1892. Tarrasch again Max Weiss, and would have finished even dominated while Bardeleben finished equal higher but for a last round loss to Weiss. fifth. The next year he tied for first place Tarrasch was 5th equal, Louis Paulsen at Kiel with Walbrodt and defeated his co- 8th equal, Burn 11th equal, Gunsberg and winner in impressive style, note the early Zukertort tied for14th place. appearance of the Chameleon Sicilian.

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C. von BARDELEBEN - C.A.WALBRODT 7.d4! cxd4 8.¤xd4 ¥g7 9.¤xc6 dxc6? Kiel 1893 Black’s only hope was to try 9...bxc6.

1.e4 c5 2.¤c3 ¤c6 3.g3 e6 10.£xd8+ ¢xd8 11.¥e3 ¢c7 12.¥c5! ¦e8 13.¦fd1 b6 14.¥d6+ ¢b7 15.e5! The tried and tested 3...g6 is better. XIIIIIIIIY 4.¥g2 a6 9r+l+r+-+0 This can wait. 4...¤f6 is better but 5.¤ge2 9+k+-snpvlp0 keeps Black guessing, 4...g6 is probably 9pzppvLp+p+0 best. 9+-+-zP-+-0 5.¤ge2 ¤ge7 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-sN-+-zP-0 All very well but this blocks in his bishop. 9PzPP+-zPLzP0 6.0-0 9tR-+R+-mK-0 xiiiiiiiiy Delaying the thematic d3 White keeps Just because the queens have been black guessing. exchanged does not stop White playing for mate. 6...g6? A careless slip 6...d5 is consistent. XIIIIIIIIY 15...¥d7 16.b4 ¦ad8 17.a4 f6 18.f4 f5 9r+lwqkvl-tr0 9+p+psnp+p0 Preparing ...¤d5 9p+n+p+p+0 19.¥xe7! ¦xe7 20.b5 ¦c8 21.a5 ¥f8? 9+-zp-+-+-0 XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+P+-+0 9-+r+-vl-+0 9+-sN-+-zP-0 9+k+ltr-+p0 9PzPPzPNzPLzP0 9pzpp+p+p+0 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0 9zPP+-zPp+-0 xiiiiiiiiy He played in the 9-+-+-zP-+0 evenings only, and 9+-sN-+-zP-0 thoroughly devoted 9-+P+-+LzP0 himself, from 9tR-+R+-mK-0 beginning to end, xiiiiiiiiy 21...bxa5 may seem counterintuitive but to the task before Black seems to be hanging on after 22 him in a manner bxa6+ ¢xa6 23.¦d4 ¦a8 24.¤a4 and which will serve as the passed a pawn should give Black good a lesson to some of counterplay in the endgame. his less steady fellow competitors 22.axb6 ¦f7 23.bxa6+ ¢xb6 24.¦db1+

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¢c7 25.¦b7+ ¢d8 26.a7 ¥e8 27.a8=q against Lasker at St Petersburg1895-96, that game continued 6.¤f3 a6! 7.dxc5 ¥xc5 8. 1-0 cxd5 ¤xd5 9.¤xd5 exd5 and drawn in 44 moves.

8th Deutsches Scachbundes Kongress Kiel 6...cxd4 6...e5 saves the exchange, but 1893, round 3 after 7.¥xe5! ¤xe5 8.dxe5 £a5+ 9.£d2 £xd2+ 10.¢xd2 ¤e4+ 11.¢e1 the threat A quite year in 1894 was followed by of 12.¤c7+ costs Black a second central a much busier one. In 1895 he won a pawn. match versus von Gottschall at Leipzig, then travelled to London, where he met 7.¤c7+ ¢d7 8.cxd5 ¤xd5 9.¤xa8 ¥b4+ 10.¢e2 ¤xf4+ 11.exf4 £f6 12. Blackburne in a hard fought match that was a3 ¥d6 13.g3! ¦d8 14.¥g2 ¢e7 15.¤f3 drawn +3 =3 -3. b6 16.¦e1 ¥a6+

Members of the Bohemian Chess Club 16...¥b7 allows 17.¢f1 when Black has no took advantage of his visit to arrange a compensation for the exchange. match with Richard Teichmann. Bardeleben started slowly and trailed after four games. 17.¢d2 ¦xa8 18.£a4! ¥b7 19.¤e5 Then he found a point of attack, Teichmann XIIIIIIIIY struggled against the Harrwitz Attack in the 9r+-+-+-+0 Queens Gambit Declined. Von Bardeleben 9zpl+-mkpzpp0 won three brisk games 5, 7 and 9 and won the match +3 =6 -1. 9-zpnvlpwq-+0 9+-+-sN-+-0 C. von BARDELEBEN - R. TEICHMANN 9Q+-zp-zP-+0 mg 7 London 1895 9zP-+-+-zP-0 9-zP-mK-zPLzP0 1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.¤c3 ¤f6 4.¥f4 c5 5.e3 ¤c6? 5...¥e7 is safer. 9tR-+-tR-+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 6.¤b5!? 19...¦c8? XIIIIIIIIY A blunder in a lost position, 19...¥xe5 is no 9r+lwqkvl-tr0 better after 20.fxe5 £xf2+ 21.¦e2 9zpp+-+pzpp0 20.¤xc6+ 9-+n+psn-+0 9+Nzpp+-+-0 1-0 9-+PzP-vL-+0 Daily News 16th July 1895 9+-+-zP-+-0 This was probably his peak as a player. 9PzP-+-zPPzP0 He started well at Hastings 1895 with 9tR-+QmKLsNR0 +6 =3 including a win over Lasker, but xiiiiiiiiy the loss to Steinitz in round ten really ThIs may look obvious but Steinitz ducked took the wind out of his sails. During the the challenge when he had this position next eight rounds little went right, he

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Dresden 1892. Standing: Heyde, Schmid, Blackburne, Noa, Hofer, von Scheve, Walbrodt, Zwanzig. Sitting: Loman, Schottländer, Winawer, Mason, Schallopp, von Bardeleben, Tarrasch, Mieses, Albin, Alapin Source: Wikipedia even lost to the tail ender Tinsley and record in tournament and match games then defaulted against Pillsbury. He against the following opponents- rallied and scored two wins and a draw at the end to finish seventh equal tied v Lasker +2 =1 -3 with Teichmann. v Tarrasch +2 =4 v Gunsberg +2 =4 In January 1897 he won a strong seven player event held in Berlin. He scored He may have lacked the steely nerves +4 =1 -1 to finish ahead of Charousek, and determination of a world champion, Wilhelm Cohn, Mieses and Walbrodt. but he was still a very strong player. This was probably the best of his tournament wins. Bardeleben apparently committed suicide by jumping out of a window He continued to play but less frequently in 1924. According to one obituary, and with increasingly variable results. however, he fell out by accident. His life There were odd glimpses of his best and death were the basis for that of the form. He tied for first place at Coburg main character in the novel The Defense 1904 with Schlechter and Swiderski and by Vladimir Nabokov, which was made defeated Spielmann in a short match in into the movie The Luzhin Defence. 1907.

Coburg was his swansong and he failed to finish in the top half in any of his subsequent appearances.

If that makes you think he was not quite grandmaster strength, then consider his

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How to fight with psychological barriers By Theo Slade

“So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself −− nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance” Roosevelt

This piece is for those who want to know players, I have always found it difficult to more about how to cope with psychological play normally, often playing overcautiously. barriers when playing a game. While I am Another strange thing is that I used to feel no expert on the matter, I would like to an almost crippling nervousness before and share my experience inviting everyone to during the game. On the flipside, I have share theirs, if this article provokes you. always had a very high score against lower rated players because I have felt much more For a long time I have struggled confident playing them. psychologically, mainly with regard to ratings and perceived playing strength. Before the Central Florida Chess Club Even though I am young and improving, tournament I spent some time conditioning I often had an inferiority complex when myself psychologically, imagining different playing against higher rated opposition. scenarios and thinking how I should When playing against supposedly stronger respond to them. I came to the conclusion

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that I should view my playing strength as against John Ludwig, only a few months an unknown quantity, because in between older than me, but one of the best young tournaments (in theory!) I improve by players in America: his FIDE rating is 2397, studying. Therefore, my playing strength is and his peak USCF rating converted into a not necessarily equal to my rating, which FIDE rating is 2456. He is the 6th highest means that I should not be scared of anyone rated player in Florida, the 22nd equal − I should always play as I do against lower highest rated junior in America, and the rated opponents. Note that studying between 136th equal highest rated player in America, tournaments is a very important part of the all according to his USCF rating. However, process because that gives you confidence, before and during the game I was not and not studying leads to lack of self−belief. intimidated and believed in myself, which I believe that this kind of problem happens was probably the most important thing. to nearly every chess player. Before this game I quickly revised the Hopefully you can take inspiration from theory which I had already worked hard on my experience and use it for yourself! previously. On the one hand, I did not feel very good having to frantically memorize Theo Slade - John Ludwig all the variations just before the start of the round, but on the other, I felt good that CFCC (2), 28.01.2016 I had already done the hard work − this was just about not letting that go to waste. In this tournament, after a win in round one Besides, I believe that there is too much to (against a lower rated player!), I was paired remember − Anish Giri once said that of all

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 307 05/137 the variations he has in his repertoire, he only has "about five percent" of that in his XIIIIIIIIY memory at any one time. I have to call this 9r+lwqr+k+0 game the best of my career so far simply 9+p+n+pvlp0 because of how good my opponent was, and the fact that I won! I had never beaten 9p+-zp-+p+0 an opponent who was close to his rating 9+-zpP+-+n0 before, so this was a milestone game for me. 9P+-+P+-+0 9+-sN-vLN+P0 1.d4 ¤f6 2.c4 c5 3.d5 e6 4.¤c3 exd5 9-zP-+LzPP+0 5.cxd5 d6 6.e4 g6 7.¥d3 ¥g7 8.h3 0–0 9.¤f3 ¤h5 Having said that, I had not 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 looked at this variation. Also, this was my xiiiiiiiiy first ever classical game in the Benoni, so Stockfish 8 suggests 13.a5. However, I did I was nervous because I was not sure if I not want to play this move at any point understood the general ideas well enough because Black can go ...b6 or ... b5, which to get a result. more or less forces axb6, and then he can recapture with a heavy piece with pressure 10.0–0 ¤d7 11.¥e2 down the b-file. I instead preferred to keep the pawn at a4, preventing ...b5 (and with it XIIIIIIIIY Black’s play on the queenside). 9r+lwq-trk+0 13...¦b8 I got a bit concerned about 13...¥xc3 9zpp+n+pvlp0 14.bxc3 ¦xe4, when my original idea was 9-+-zp-+p+0 either 15.¤g5 or even after 15.¤d2 ¦xe3 is 9+-zpP+-+n0 still an option, even though White should be better after 16.fxe3 ¤g3 17.¦f3 £g5 9-+-+P+-+0 18.£e1 ¤xe2+ 19.£xe2 £xd5 20.¦f4. It 9+-sN-+N+P0 turns out that White can play calmly with 15.£d2, with long-term compensation for the 9PzP-+LzPP+0 pawn based on the two bishops, better pieces 9tR-vLQ+RmK-0 and Black’s weak king. However, if we got to xiiiiiiiiy this position, hopefully I would have avoided 11.¥g5! is theory. The idea is to lure the 15...¦xe3 16.fxe3 £xg5. g7–bishop to f6, when White argues that it is worse on f6 than on g7. I knew this 14.¤d2 ¤hf6 To be honest, I do not fully idea, but I was not one hundred percent understand the point of ... ¤h5 in Benoni certain that this was the position where it structures because more often than not it ends had to be applied. Therefore, I opted for a up going back rather than starting play on the prophylactic retreat against ...¤e5. dark squares or on the kingside with ...f5.

11...a6 12.a4 This is played automatically 15.£c2 Connecting the rooks and against ...a6. overprotecting e4.

12...¦e8 The f3–knight wants to go to d2, 15...£c7 16.¥f4 Another improving move. but if ¤d2 immediately then ... ¤f4, so I have a big space advantage here so, like White should play: Gelfand says, you should ask your opponent to navigate his way out of the situation he 13.¥e3 first, followed by ¤d2, to keep the is in. I must say I enjoyed walking around h5–knight out of f4. while John had a hard time coming up with

308 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 a plan! He thought for over half an hour, 21...¥b5 Again, there is little Black can do and ended up sacrificing a pawn. besides this. 21...¦bc8 runs into 22.¤b6.

16...¤e5 17.¥h2 22.¤xb5 22.¤b6! ¦xe4 I stopped my calculations here, but after 23.¦ec1! 17...c4 This was John’s idea. The point Black’s position is NOT falling apart - it is behind my last move is that if 17...¥d7 just not very good. then 18.f4. 22...axb5 23.¤a3 £xc2 23...£e7 18.¥xe5 ¦xe5 19.¤xc4 24.¥xb5.

19...¦e8 I was surprised by John’s play, but 24.¤xc2 ¦xe4 24...¤xe4 25.¥xb5. after 16.¥f4 there really is little Black can do, and I presume he wanted to win even if 25.¥xb5 ¦xe1+ 26.¦xe1 ¤xd5 At this it meant taking risks in a worse position, so point I was happy because there was little from that point of view this sequence makes risk in my position and I was basically sense. I spent a lot of time in this phase of content to draw, even though I was much the game being careful. I have lost a lot of better earlier in the game. This is mainly games to higher rated players in these types because I struggle for confidence against of tactical positions where I drift a bit, so I higher rated players. However, after made sure that did not happen in this game. this game my confidence was boosted tremendously, and in the last round I drew 20.a5 Stopping ...b5. It is tempting to say comfortably as Black against another 2400 that I am just a pawn up for nothing, but that to finish third equal with John and tying is not completely true because my position for the best U2200, winning a trophy on is just a little bit overextended - not enough tiebreak. for a pawn, but it is slightly uncomfortable. 27.¥c4 ¤f6 After 27...¤f4 28.g3 I missed 20...¥d7 I expected 20...¤d7 , but then that 28...¤xh3+ is possible - I suffered from 21.¦fe1 ¤c5 22.¥f1 and Black has not the "retained image" problem - I thought my achieved much. g-pawn was still on g2. .

21.¦fe1 I spent a very long time on this 28.¦d1 28.¤e3 would have been better I move, but I saw six moves ahead where am told by the computer, and the point is to the position changes drastically, so I think avoid 28...d5! it was worth it. 21.¦ac1 ¥h6 and I do not really want to weaken myself with 22.f4. 28...¤e8 Very passive, but the construction with the knight on f6 and the bishop on g7 XIIIIIIIIY do not coordinate very well. 9-tr-+r+k+0 9+pwql+pvlp0 28...d5! 29.¥xd5 b6! 30.a6 ¤xd5 31.¦xd5 ¦a8 32.¤b4 ¥xb2 is a fabulous 9p+-zp-snp+0 way of relieving the pressure that neither 9zP-+P+-+-0 me nor John saw during the game, but I believe that was mainly because we were 9-+N+P+-+0 short on time. 9+-sN-+-+P0 9-zPQ+LzPP+0 29.b4 9tR-+-tR-mK-0 ¦c8 30.¤e3 Squeezing hard on d5, as xiiiiiiiiy Gelfand would say.

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30...¢f8 John offered a draw very quietly 37.¤b6 Threatening a7 ...¦xa7 ¤c8+ here - I had to ask him to repeat it because I forking the king and rook. did not hear what he said. Dad opined after that he did not want the "crowd" (at least 37...¢d8 38.¤c8 ¥f8 All of Black’s fifteen people were watching the game at pieces are as passive as they could be! this point) to know that he had offered a draw. 39.a7 ¤c7 40.¤xd6 ¥xd6 41.¦xd6+ ¢e7 42.¦c6 ¦xa7 43.¦xc7+ 31.¥d5 ¦c7 32.b5 ¦c5 I missed this when I played 32.b5, but it is not an issue. 1–0

33.¥xb7 I spent a bit of time here. I I still had over two minutes left with a was right that this decision changed five second delay, but I was shaking the direction of the game, but my move because I was so nervous. As I explained was wrong! I considered 33.¦b1, but I to Dad, even if the game does not mean thought I saw a win after 33.¥xb7, and I anything, the longer the game goes on wanted to play a forcing move, which is the more nervous I become because you quite ironic considering how many quiet do not want to put so much effort in all moves I had played earlier on in this for it to be undone. However, I had the game. chance to beat the highest rated player I have ever beaten, so I was extremely 33...¦xb5 34.a6 ¦a5 35.¤c4 35.¤d5 nervous, even though in my heart I knew was better, stopping ...¤c7 with the idea that I was easily winning. I sacrificed my ¤b4–c6 hitting the rook. I think that we bishop on f7 to transform my advantage should admire the engine in this situation into a winning pawn endgame, when John - it is very difficult to find such moves resigned shortly after. over the board in time pressure, especially when you have already anticipated this It was a great feeling to win, and position in your previous calculations. psychologically very important as now I Plus, it is more natural to hit the rook think if I have done it once, then I can do first (and attack d6), rather than hit the it again, and build on that success. rook later. "Do the thing you fear most and the 35...¦a2 36.g3 The worst thing when death of fear is certain" you are in time trouble is when your Mark Twain opponent does nothing! This cuts out the tactics after ¤xd6 ... ¤xd6 ¦xd6 ...¦a1+ ¢h2 ...¥e5+ forking the king and rook. I stopped recording here because I had less than five minutes.

I wanted to go 36.¦d3 or 36.¦d5 , with the idea of swinging one of the pieces over to the a-file, followed by queening the a-pawn. However, after I could not make either of them work, I went for a much If you have any examples or subtler approach. experiences of psychological play, please send it to us and we will 36...¢e7 This was what I wanted to consider publishing it! encourage. It is a mistake but it is very [email protected] human to be materialistic.

310 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 Problem World by Christopher Jones [email protected] Grandmaster of Chess Composition Solutions are given on page 318

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-vl-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+r+0 9+-+-sn-+l0 9+-+-+-+l0 19-tr-sN-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+ptR-+p+-0 29+-+-+R+p0 9-zP-mk-+-+0 9-+-+-+kzp0 9+-+Pzp-+-0 9+-+-+-+p0 9-+-+P+-tr0 9-+K+PzP-tr0 9+-mKRsn-sNQ0 9+-+-+-+n0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy Jose Antonio Lopez Parceria (Spain) K.R.Chandrasekaran (India) Mate in 2 Helpmate in 2 - 2 solutions ORIGINAL ORIGINAL XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 9k+-+-+-+0 9vl-+-+RvL-0 9+-+-+-+-0 39-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9+-zpr+-wqn0 49+-+-+-+-0 9-zp-+k+-+0 9-+N+-+-+0 9+-+-+Nzp-0 9+-+p+-zp-0 9-+-+-+K+0 9-+-zP-+p+0 9+-+N+-+-0 9+-+-+-mKl0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy David Shire (Canterbury) Michael McDowell (Westcliff on Sea) Helpmate in 2 - 2 solutions Helpmate in 8 ORIGINAL ORIGINAL

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 311 05/137 Openings for Amateurs by Pete Tamburro, [email protected]

Defending against the London System

Steven Szpisjak - Peter Tamburro XIIIIIIIIY USA-op Chicago, 1994 9r+lwq-trk+0 9zpp+nzppvlp0 In our April column, we looked at how GM Pal Benko used several key ideas to combat 9-+-+-snp+0 the Stonewall Attack: the re−positioning of 9+-zpp+-+-0 the knights and the freeing e5 move. We also talked about learning ideas rather than 9-+-zP-vL-+0 memorizing moves. In this game, over 20 9+-zP-zPN+P0 years ago, I tried to apply Benko’s ideas 9PzP-sN-zPP+0 against the London System. It was an important game for me, as I had to beat a 9tR-+QmKL+R0 Chicago area master in the last round of the xiiiiiiiiy U.S. Open to finish "in the money" with an A well−trained chimpanzee could get this 8-4 score. To add to the tension, GM Robert far as Black. Do we start right in with the Byrne, whom I had interviewed before the ¤e8-¤d6 and ¤f6 idea? No, because we tournament, wandered over to see how have not yet seen what White is up to. We I was doing! And the clock kept ticking know he has to develop the bishop, castle away... and most likely put his knight on e5. Since a central theme for Black is to contest 1.d4 ¤f6 2.¤f3 d5 3.c3 This is what you the centre, fianchettoing the bishop to might expect of a master playing against an help hit e4 seemed logical to complete amateur in the last round. London Systems development. do not start this way. The idea: to get the amateur out of his "book." 8.¥e2

3...¤bd7 4.¥f4 c5 5.¤bd2 g6 6.h3 ¥g7 8...b6 It was quite good, and perhaps better, 7.e3 0-0 to play 8...¤e4 followed by 9...¤df6,

312 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 initiating the knight switch. 9.0–0 ¥b7 be: 14.dxe5 ¤d7 15.¤f3 f6 16.exf6 £xf6 XIIIIIIIIY 17.¥g5 £f7 18.a4 e5) 14...¤d7 15.¥xg7 9r+-wq-trk+0 ¢xg7 16.¥g4 e6. 9zpl+nzppvlp0 14.b4 c4 Opening lines for his pieces poised 9-zp-+-snp+0 for activation on the queenside would 9+-zpp+-+-0 have been a poor choice. Black closes the queenside and says, "Let’s have a talk on the 9-+-zP-vL-+0 kingside." White, on the contrary, replies, 9+-zP-zPN+P0 "No, I’m going to give you some more choices to make on the queenside because 9PzP-sNLzPP+0 you only need to make one bad decision." 9tR-+Q+RmK-0 xiiiiiiiiy 15.a4 ¦a8 Still suffering from the prejudice I was astonished, when writing this column, referred to earlier. to find over 100 games with this position. Moves like ¤e5 for White and ¤e4 16.¢f1 The not well known "mysterious for Black keeping popping up. Because king move." White has delayed ¤e5, Black goes about his business where he can expand - the 16...¥c6 queenside. XIIIIIIIIY 9r+-+-trk+0 10.£a4?! Probably an attempt to confuse 9+-+nzppvlp0 the issue, but it should be obvious that it allows Black to make pawn moves without 9pwql+-snp+0 falling behind in activating his pieces. 9+p+psN-+-0 10...a6 11.¦fc1!? A bit of over-refinement. 9PzPpzP-vL-+0 It is clever if he wishes to operate on the 9+-zP-zP-+P0 queenside, as the queen’s expected retreat 9-+-sNLzPP+0 will allow the rooks to stay connected. It is not clever if he does not really have a plan. 9tR-tRQ+K+-0 xiiiiiiiiy 11...b5?! Black should just go with 11...¤e8 At least I do not have a prejudice in favour to get to d6. Getting your minor pieces on of bishops over knights. My bishop is a "tall the right squares is more important than a pawn," as they say in the midwestern US. meaningless attack on a queen which may very well head to c2 to continue his build- 17.a5 £b7 Now, we have to discuss up on the queenside. However, White goes the kingside! At the time, I remembered all the way back, which was puzzling. watching Bent Larsen play the queen and bishop battery like that with the exception 12.£d1 £b6 13.¤e5 White could try that Larsen’s queen was on a8. It restrains hitting the b5 pawn, when, again, the knight e4, and White would have to give up his switch is in the notes. 13.a4 ¤e4 14.£c2 nicely posted horse to lessen the pressure. ¤d6 15.h4 ¤f6. 18.¦a2 White takes his least effective piece 13...¦ac8 I must admit to a certain prejudice and improves its position - a rook lift ready against letting my opponent occupy e5; to swing over for kingside action. however, it would have been better have calculated real lines here: 13...¤xe5 18...¦ad8 One of many possible moves for 14.¥xe5 (nicely thematic for Black would Black. Putting it opposite the opponent’s

BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE | 313 05/137 queen seemed like a latent threat, but at 27.£d2 fxg4 He can’t afford to concede least it’s an indirect threat. ¤xe5 is still e4. possible. It might be the most important lesson I learned from this game. 28.hxg4 ¤f7! With the idea of supporting g5 to restrict f4 or supporting ¥h6. 19.g4 XIIIIIIIIY 29.¦e1 ¦e6 Black has used a good deal of 9-+-tr-trk+0 time getting here, but the guideline in this middlegame should be similar to the opening’s 9+q+nzppvlp0 goal: get your minor pieces activated on their 9p+l+-snp+0 best squares. My rook was on a perfectly good 9zPp+psN-+-0 square. My knight was in need of joining the fray. Years later, Boris Gulko got me to see this, 9-zPpzP-vLP+0 and I am thankful to him for that. I wish I had 9+-zP-zP-+P0 him for a coach at 19 rather than at 69! 29...¤f6 30.¥f4 (30.¥d1 ¥h6 31.£f2 ¤g5) 30...h5 9R+-sNLzP-+0 31.¤h2 £e6 and Black’s position is active and 9+-tRQ+K+-0 dangerous for White. If 29...¥h6 30.f4. xiiiiiiiiy A master has two ways to win against an 30.¥d1 ¦fe8 31.¦xe6 £xe6 Mindlessly amateur: with strategy or tactics. His long-term doubling my major pieces. More active queenside plans have dissolved, so he decides was: 31...¦xe6 32.£g2 ¦e1. on double-edged tactical play. It is positions like this that always make me ask myself, "Have I 32.£f2 £e1 33.¦d2 ¥h6 34.f4 £xf2+ done anything wrong?" In this game, some non- 35.¦xf2 ¤d6? fatal "yes" answers come to mind, but at least I XIIIIIIIIY still have a strategy to yet play: that Benko idea. 9-+-+r+k+0 White’s g4 gives me the impetus to play it. 9+-+n+-+p0 19...¤e8 20.¢g1 ¤d6 21.£e1 It is as 9p+-sn-+pvl0 though White is waiting for Black to make 9zPp+p+-+-0 a mistake rather making a plan. 9-zPpzP-zPP+0 21...¦de8 Oh, my! Yet again, Black declines 9+-zP-+-+-0 to take on e5. Whereupon, Black swore a 9-+-+-tR-vL0 blood oath to take that idea more seriously. 21...¤xe5 22.dxe5 ¤e4 23.f3 g5 24.¥h2 9+-+L+NmK-0 ¤xd2 25.£xd2 (25.¦xd2 f6) 25...f6. xiiiiiiiiy After 35 moves and in some time difficulties, 22.f3 f6 And here we are, the Benko idea in the amateur misses his best chance: 35...g5! full formation. It is the 22nd move, but the 36.f5 ¤f6 37.¥g3 ¥f8 38.¥f3 ¥d6 and opening system chosen was headed toward e4 will belong to Black. this position with a singleness of purpose (an explanation, but not an excuse, for 36.¥c2? White returns the favour: 36.g5! avoiding ¤xe5 all those times). ¥f8 37.¥f3 ¤e4 38.¦e2 ¢f7 39.¥xe4 ¦xe4 40.¦xe4 dxe4 41.¢f2 ¢e6 42.¢e3 23.¤xc6 £xc6 24.¤f1 e5! 25.¥h2 exd4 ¢d5 43.¤d2 ¥xb4 44.cxb4 c3 45.¤xe4 26.exd4 f5! Thanks to White’s abortive c2 46.¤c3+ ¢c4 47.¤a2 ¢b3 48.¢d2. attempt at a kingside demonstration with g4, Black now has all his pieces bearing 36...¥f8 Better was 36...¤e4 but that could down on White’s position. easily go wrong, too: 37.¦e2 ¤df6 38.g5 ¤xc3

314 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017

39.¦xe8+ ¤xe8 40.gxh6 ¤e2+ 41.¢g2 46.¦f4?? 46.¢e2. ¤xd4 42.¤e3 ¤f6 43.f5 ¤c6 44.¥f4! 46...¤e5 Black could win here quickly 37.f5 The game gets understandably messy with 46...c3. here as we head toward move 40. 37.g5. 47.¢e2 ¦d3 48.¦e4 Now it is White’s turn 37...¤e4 37...g5. to miss a win. We are like two tired boxers in the 15th round, just flailing away. 48.¦f6+–. 38.¦f3 ¥g7 38...¤xc3 39.¦xc3 ¥g7 40.¢h1 ¥xd4 41.¦h3 ¦e2 42.¥d3 ¦e1 48...¤c6 49.¥d6 ¦b3 50.¢d2 ¦b2+ 43.¢g2 cxd3 44.¦xd3 ¦e4. 51.¢c1 c3 52.g5 White still has visions of a kingside attack! 39.fxg6 39.¥xe4 ¦xe4 40.¤e3 ¤f6 41.fxg6 ¤xg4 42.gxh7+ ¢xh7 43.¦h3+ 52...d3? First play 52...¦a2–+ then d3. ¥h6 44.¤xd5 ¢g6 45.¥c7 ¢f5. 53.¥c5? Losing. A perpetual arises from 39...hxg6 40.¥xe4 ¦xe4 40...dxe4!. the rook being able to go to e3, something that had escaped both of us. 53.¦e3 d2+ 41.¤e3XIIIIIIIIY 54.¤xd2 ¦xd2 55.¦e6 ¤d4 56.¦e8+. 9-+-+-+k+0 53...¦a2 Now, it is over. 9+-+n+-vl-0 54.¦e8+ ¢f7 55.¢b1 9p+-+-+p+0 9zPp+p+-+-0 At this point Byrne walked by for the last time and stopped and stared at the position. I 9-zPpzPr+P+0 wanted to play my move right away, but had 9+-zP-sNR+-0 to double check to make sure I did not miss 9-+-+-+-vL0 something obvious. He got bored and left. 9+-+-+-mK-0 55...c2+ 56.¢xa2 c1£ 57.¤e3 £d2+ xiiiiiiiiy 58.¢a1 £c1+ 59.¢a2 d2 60.¥d4 ¤xd4 Black is now officially in trouble as d5 is very weak and can be successfully attacked. 0–1 Inspiration born of desperation helps Black decide to really unbalance the position to Even though Black had his problems with see what two passed pawns can do. seeing an alternative plan (¤xe5) at numerous occasions, it was another plan from a different 41...¥xd4! 42.cxd4 ¦xd4 43.¥g3?! The d-pawn game that he kept in mind from gamble worked. Better was 43.¥f4. opening into middlegame. Now, Black had two ideas he could have as part of his repertoire. 43...¦d3 44.¢f2 d4 Black should have remembered the old phrase, "Passed pawns The London System has had quite a must be pushed." 44...c3 45.¥f4 ¦d2+ comeback in recent years, so if any reader 46.¢e1 g5 47.¥xg5 ¤e5 48.¦h3 d4 would like to contribute a game with any of 49.¤f5 ¦b2 50.¤xd4 ¦xb4. these ideas in it, please do!

45.¤f1 45.¤d5. Overall this game shows the value of concepts. It also demonstrates the certain 45...¦d1 The rook is more valuable on the prejudices you unconsciously develop over board. the years can make you blind to better moves.

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Endgame Studies The answers are given on page 319

by Ian Watson [email protected]

XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-vL0 19+-+-+-wQ-0 9+-+-+-+P0 9-+-+-+-+0 29-+-+-+-+0 9+R+-+-+p0 9+-zp-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9K+-+-+-+0 9+-+-tr-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9p+P+k+-+0 9+K+kwq-+-0 9+-+-+-tr-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy O. Pervakov O. Pervakov Shakhmaty v SSSR 1986 Shakhmaty Rossii 1991 win Win XIIIIIIIIY XIIIIIIIIY 9-+-+-+-+0 9-+-+-+-+0 9mK-+k+q+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-+NzPr+0 9-+-+-+-tr0 39+-+-+-zP-04 9+-trk+-+-0 9-+-+-+L+0 9-mK-+R+-+0 9+-+-+-+-0 9+-+-+-+-0 9-+-+-+-+0 9p+-+-tR-+0 9+-+-+-+R0 9+-vL-+-sN-0 xiiiiiiiiy xiiiiiiiiy O. Pervakov O Pervakov Die Schwalbe 2001 HvdH 50 JT 2011 win win

316 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 A Modern Great

Oleg Pervakov... not a familiar name? known as ‘Kasparov’s Immortal’; if so, you Shameful! Add him to your list of the great will recognise the early play in the Pervakov study composers. He has won numerous study. Kasparov claimed that he hadn’t seen composing tourneys, become a GM of Chess that study before he played his game against Composition, and has three times won the Topalov, but I wonder… Anyway, in the study World Championship in Composing study, there are a lot of clever moves by the for Individuals. That World Championship white queen after the ideas you will recognise has been held every three years since its from the Kasparov - Topalov game. inauguration in 1998, and Pervakov has won three of the six Championships so far No hints for the 1991 study, which is easier completed. – by Pervakov’s standards! In the 2001 study, White wins the black queen, then Pervakov’s studies are often highly Black plays for stalemate; White’s move complex, but more than repay the effort of four is tough to find. The 2011 study won understanding by their torrents of tactics, an endgame composing tourney held to subtle strategy and fabulous finales. I celebrate the 50th birthday of Harold van will give you some hints to help you solve der Heijden, the creator of the leading them. If you want to try the studies without database of chess studies. This composition assistance, stop reading now! was also honoured as Study of the Year 2011. To stop the black a-pawn while Our first study is from 1986, when Pervakov avoiding 1…¦b6+, you need to choose was 26 years old. You are probably familiar between the two ways to sacrifice the e4 with the extraordinary game Kasparov – rook. The later play is about White avoiding Topalov, played at Wijk aan Zee in 1999, and mid-board stalemates.

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Solutions to Problems (See page 311)

Old-fashioned values Parallel solutions again

This month we start with a very old- My comments above about parallel fashioned 2-mover. We don’t have plausible motivations for the moves in two helpmate tries or complex strategic effects, we just solutions apply equally to our next problem. have a striking key move and a good number Here we also see reciprocal line-play effects of defences, each accurately defeated by featuring w¦ and w¥ – the two pieces that a unique white follow-up. It is the sort of are so often the star performers in 2-move problem that if you were minded to try your and 3-move helpmates. A line-play feature hand at chess composition you might cut that one often encounters in such helpmates your teeth on, a good exercise for beginning is that a black officer provides a shield for a to hone compositional techniques. Looking subsequent move by the b¢, with the effect for a striking key move you are likely to that that black officer has ’self-pinned’, a discover 1.£a8! quickly. This threatens motif that is exploited by the mating move. 2.£a1, and if Black defends with 1...¥a7 Sometimes, as in this case, the self-pinned then we complete the set of four corners: piece is also serving to block the line of 2.£h8. (Setting yourself a task, such as the guard of one of his colleagues. The relevant queen visiting all four corners, can be another officers here are the b£ and the b¦ – catalyst for early composing efforts.) There 1.£f5 ¤f2+ 2.¢f4 ¥h6 and 1.¦e5 ¤d2+ are a number of other black defences – you 2.¢d4 ¦d7. The two w¤s play matching will see why 1...¤c2, 1...¤xd3+, 1...¤d5, supporting roles, contributing to aesthetic 1...¦xe2 and 1...¦a6 fail. mate positions. Follow-my-leader Last (and perhaps least)...

In the first of our helpmates (you will In a long helpmate such as our fourth remember that Black plays first and helps problem you usually don’t get the pleasure White to mate him) we can envisage mates of parallel solutions and the strategy is less by ...§e4 and ...§f3 (if the flight ¢g4>g3 sophisticated. (In this case, a solver will could be excluded) and by ...§e3 and ...¦f4 immediately expect the b¢ to set off on a (if the flight ¢g4>g5 could be excluded). diagonal march across the board, the only In addition to excluding those flight moves route that could satisfy the requirement for we also have to contend with the fact that a unique move order.) The w¢ at present as matters stand the mating piece would is immobilized by the cluster of black be pinned. Putting these thoughts together pieces in the bottom right-hand corner of we find the two solutions: 1.¤g3 e4 2.¦h1 the board, but it won’t be too difficult to f3 and 1.¦g5 e3 2.¥g8 ¦f4. The parallel release it... It turns out that the idea of the between what has to be achieved (and problem is that it would be quite piquant how it is achieved) in the two solutions if the bK finished up immobilized by that is characteristic of most good helpmates. cluster of pieces. So – 1.¢b7 ¤e3 2.¢c6 Notice in this case the final flourish: in each ¤xg2 3.¢d5 ¢f1 4.¢e4 ¢e1 5.¢f3 ¢d1 solution Black’s second, unpinning move is 6.¢f2 ¤h4 7.¢g1 ¢e1 8.g2 ¤f3. to the square vacated on his first move – a follow-my-leader (or in problem jargon ’FML’) effect.

318 | BRITISH CHESS MAGAZINE May 2017 Endgame Studies (See page 316)

Pervakov 1986 Pervakov 2001 1.£g2 ¦e2 2.¦d5+ ¦d2 3.¦d8 h4 1.¦h7 ¦xf6 2.gxf6 ¢c8+ 3.¤c7+ ¢d8 4.£g4+ £e2 5.£a4+ ¢e1 6.£xh4+ ¢d1 4.¥d7 £a2+ 5.¢b8 £b1+ 6.¥b5 £xh7 7.£h1+ £e1 8.£f3+ £e2 9.£c6 £e3 7.¤e6 mate. 10.£a4+ ¢e2 11.¦e8 ¦d1+ 12.£xd1+ 2.¦xf7+? ¦xf7 3.g6 ¦e7 4.g7 ¢e8+ ¢xd1 13.¦xe3 wins. 1.¦d5+? ¢e2+ 5.¢b6 ¢f7 6.¥h5+ ¢g8, or in this line 2.¢c2 £g3 3.¦d2+ ¢f1 4.¦d1+ ¢e2 3.¢b6 ¦f1 4.¢c5 ¢e7 5.¢d5 ¦g1). 5.¦d2+ ¢f1 6.£f6+ ¢g1 7.£b6 ¢f1 In the main line, 4.¢b8 £b3+ or 4.¢b6? 8.£f6+ ¢g1. £xf6+ 5.¤e6+ ¢c8, or 4.¦g7? £a2+ In the main line, the alternative rook moves 5.¤a6 £f2+ 6.¢a8 £g2+ 7.¢b8 £h2+ fail: 3.¦d6? £e2 4.£h1+ £e1 5.£f3+ 8.¦c7 £xc7+ 9.¤xc7. £e2 6.£b3+ ¢e1 7.¦e6 ¦d1+; or 3.¦d4? Also in the main line, 4…£xh7 5.¤e6+ h4 4.£f3+ £e2 5.£c6 ¢e1 6.£h1+ £f1 ¢xd7 6.¤f8+ ¢e8+ 7.¤xh7 ¢f7 8.¢b7 7.£xf1+ ¢xf1 8.¦xd2 ¢g1. ¢g6 9.¢c7 ¢xh7 10.¢d7 ¢g6 11.¢e7. Pervakov 1991 Pervakov 2011 1.¥a1 ¦h1 2.h8£ ¦xh8 3.¥xh8 c4 1.¦d4+ ¢xd4 2.¥b2+ ¢e3 3.¦f3+ ¢e4 4.¥a1 ¢d2 5.c3 ¢c2 6.¢a3 ¢b1 7.¥b2 4.¢xc5 a1£ 5.¥xa1 ¦c6+ 6.¢b5 ¦c1 wins by zugzwang. The theme is corner-to- 7.¦f4+ ¢e3 8.¦a4 ¦xg1 9.¥d4+ wins. corner bishop moves – three of them. Notice 1.¦e5+? ¢xe5 2.¥xh6 a1£ 3.¥g7+ ¢e4 also the pleasing diagonal walk of the 4.¥xa1 ¦c1 5.¦f4+ ¢e3 draws. White queen in the alternative first move In the main line, 3.¦e2+? ¢d3 4.¢xc5 ¦h5+ defence: 1…¦xa1 2.h8£ ¦b1 3.£e5+ 5.¢b4 a1£ 6.¥xa1 ¦b5+ 7.¢xb5 stalemate. ¢f1 4.£f6+ ¢g1 5.£g7+ ¢h1 6.£h8+ Notice the mid-board stalemates which ¢g1 7.£g8+. arise in the line 3.¦e2+? and in the main In the main line, 4.¥b2? ¢d2 5.c3 ¢c2 6.¢a3 line if White captures with 6.¢xc6?; they ¢b1 and the zugzwang is against White. are the same stalemate but shifted. Solutions to PUZZLES (See page 297) 1) Ivan Saric – Alexander Toth 4) Evgeny Janev – Diana Soares 1.¤xf6+! ¦xf6 2.£g4! Threatening mate 1.¤e6! Delivering a double attack on the on g7. Black stops the mate but really had black bishop and rook. The exchange is lost to give up the exchange now by 2...¦xf5 since if 1...fxe6 2.¥xe6+ wins the queen. because after 2...g6 3.¤xh6+ wins the 5) Ladislav Kotan – Andrej Veres queen. 1.¦xf6! gxf6 1...£e7 can be met simply 2) George Ardelean – Ilie by 2.¦xf7 ¦xf7 3.£h5 and White is a 1.¤xg7! ¢xg7 If 1...¤xg7 2.£xf6. pawn up with a winning position. 2.¤f5 2.¥h6+! ¢g8 Or 2...¢xh6 3.£xf6+ ¢h5 Threatening £g4+ and £g7 mate. 2...¢h7 4.g4 mate. 3.¥xf8 ¤xf8 4.£xf6 1-0 3.£h5 Line 3) Levente Vajda – Ralph Muller 6) Salome Melia – Turkan Mamedyarova 1.¥xd5 ¥xd5 2.£xg6! If ...hxg6 3.¤xg6+ 1.¤h5! ¤xh5 Or 1...£e7 2.¤xf4 winning ¢g7 4.¤xe7 wins two pawns. 2...¥xg2 a knight. 2.¥g5 traps the queen. Hoping for a capture on g2 when ...¦g8 7) Dimitar Pelitov – Mitko Garkov wins the queen but 3.£h6 Threatening both 1.£g6! £g8 If 1...fxg6 2.¤xg6 mate. 4.¤xg2 and 4.¤g6+ winning the queen so 2.¤xg8 fxg6 3.¤xe7 1–0 White has won the Black resigned. exchange.

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